Not What it Seems
by mysterywriter94
Summary: A person could seem fine, while in reality be insane or some killer. An object could appear harmless while, actually, is a murder weapon. Nothing is what it seems. And for Abby, it is all about to go downhill.
1. Chapter 1

_It's cold in here...what happened to the heater? Better go get that fixed. Sigh. What day is it today? Friday? Good. No work tomorrow..._

Abby smiled to herself, despite the fact she felt freezing cold. Tonight, she and Ziva were going out to a club for a girl's night out. Maybe she could meet someone new-well no time to think about that, really. Dating wasn't something she did much anymore. Abby checeked the time. It was almost seven that evening. She shivered again. Why was it so cold? Well. No time to think about that. She needed to go home and get ready. Machines were slowly shut down, not given their usual comments of the day's work. Abby felt tired, which was unusual for her.

"Abby, I don't think I'll be able to make it tonight," Ziva said. "I'm sorry, but something came up."

"It's fine. I am tired anyway." Abby gave her a small smile and left the lab. Ziva turned off the light.

"Are you sure? We could plan something else another day if you want."

"I'll let you know, then." Abby stepped into the elevator. That was when she felt it again. The slightest tremor, as if the temperature had dropped twenty degrees. Ziva appeared nomal. What was wrong with her?

"Did you hear what happened between Tony and Tim?" Abby shook her head.

"Tim thought he finally met the girl of his dreams online, but it was just Tony messing around with him."

"That's mean!" Abby cried out. "Is Timmy okay?"

"I don't know, he seemed heartshattered when he found out."

"Its heartbroken, Ziva." They got out and went to the car lot. Almost everyone had left except for Ducky and Gibbs. Those two always worked hard. But the work, in the end, could be rewarding, in a sense. Families managed to get closure on those who took away the ones they loved. Evil got put behind bars. Simple. No emotion was necessary, especially in her field. Except when someone got hurt. Or killed. Abby winced, remembering Kate. That was an unnecessary death.

"Abby, you have been very quiet," Ziva observed. "What are you thinking about?"

"Kate," she replied honestly. "I'm going home now...I'll see you on Monday." Ziva watched her friend get into the red car in the very last parking space, wondering what it was about Kate that caused her to come up in unexpected parts of conversation.

**This line break is brought to you by the greatest actress on prime time television, Pauley Perrett :)**

At home Abby felt safe. But as she sank into bed later that night it was impossible to fall asleep. Her muscles ached for some odd reason. So, she did the one thing she knew would help. Within ten minutes Abby found herself at Gibbs's doorstep, ringing the doorbell. Heavy footsteps approached the door. The door swung open, and Gibbs stood in front of her.

"Hi, Gibbs," Abby whispered. "I couldn't sleep." Gibbs took in her white nightgown, matching cap, and nuetral expression in complete silence. Finally, he nodded and let her inside.

"Thought you were going out," Gibbs said to make conversation.

"Ziva said she wasn't able to tonight. Which is fine with me. I think I need the weekend to relax, anyway." She shivered. Oh no. Not here. The coldness was taking over her bones once more. Abby clamped her mouth shut, hoping Gibbs hadn't noticed. He gave her a long, searching look before heading to his basement.

"I can't believe Tony played such an awful trick on Tim!" Abby exclaimed, following him downstairs.

"I can." Gibbs poured himself some borbourn, practically a tradition whenever he was working on something down here. Abby rolled her eyes and pulled out a chair.

"So, what are you working on in here?" She gazed at the wood starting to take on its shape. Was it her imagination, or did it look like-

"Rule 12, Abs?" Gibbs gave her a half smile. After only two months, he figured it out already? Abby stared at him in amazement.

"Don't kill him," Abby begged. "He's a good guy, you know that, Gibbs!"

"I know. But if he hurts you-"

"He won't! I don't think he could if he tried." Abby felt relieved that the worst part was over. So relieved, that exhaustion started to creep in. She remembered the soreness, but did her best to hide it. Gibbs didn't need to worry about this. It was probably from working so much during the week. Overworked, yes that was it. She was overworked and just needed the weekend to recover.

"Just be careful, alright?" Abby left his house in a stunned silence. So, why was Gibbs building that crib, if he knew she wasn't pregnant?

**This line break has severe shyness. Don't get too close! I said don-oh crap nevermind.**

Abby tossed and turned in her bed most of the night. And when she did get to sleep, even in her nightmares she was ceaselessly restless, highly conscious of everything, from how cold she was to her aching muscles. It felt like the night would never end.

_"Just be careful, alright?"_ Of course. Gibbs was probably thinking of what happened with Mikel. But he was from a past long ago. Abby doubted that she'd make that mistake ever again. But maybe that isn't what he meant at all.

_Oh, Gibbs, what did you mean, then?_ Abby sank into a miserable sleep filled with dreams that made no sense.

**We shall return to the story after this short line break rudely interrupts the plot...**

Ziva sat there on her bed, wondering if something was wrong with Abby. On the whole, things hadn't appeared any different, but there were tiny things that just seemed...out of place. Like how she had seemed so cold despite the fact it was a warm day. Or, just as she got into her car, Ziva could see the minisicule signs of muscle soreness starting to kick in. Perhaps Ziva would wait a few days to see if this would ammount to anything. And if it didn't, it didn't. If it did...well, at least she could ask Abby to see if she was aware of anything.

"I should not worry so much," Ziva murmured, staring down at the floor. "It's probably nothing..." But even so, it still took a long time for her to fall asleep that night.

**INVASION OF THE PSYCOTIC LINE BREAK!**

Tim stared at his phone. Didn't Abby promise she'd call him sometime soon? Well, didn't she? A promise was a promise. Even if it was three in the morning. Finally, he couldn't wait any longer. One ring, then two. Abby picked up on the third right. She must be having a hard time sleeping for her to answer so quickly.

"Hi, Tim. Sorry, I forgot."

"Its okay, Abs...are you doing anything tomorrow? I was wondering if-"

"Tim, I can't. I'd like some time to relax, alright?"

"Is everything okay?" Abby rarely relaxed unless she was sick or something. And she definitely didn't seem sick today. Just cold for no apparent reason. Unless you called that sick, and most people didn't to the best of his knowledge.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just having a hard time sleeping even after spending a little quality time with Gibbs an hour ago." Tim frowned. That was also unusual. Abby normally didn't have trouble sleeping depsite her caffiene problem. So, she was cold all day and had trouble sleeping. He remembered accidentally brushing his hand against her face and flinching from the hotness there. Hadn't they been slightly flushed, as if the room was overheated?

"I'll be right over, Abs." He hung up before she could say anything else. Something was going on here, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

It didn't take long to get to her house, and Tim found Abby shivering under the covers when he got there. _Not right. This doesn't feel right._ His gut flared at the sight of her. No. His Abby was suffering. But from what?

"Abs? You okay?" Abby shuddered and rolled over in her coffin. Tim cautiously felt her forehead. It was a little warmer than it had been this afternoon. Was she sleeping?

"Nobody...don't tell them...not...Tony..." Abby was talking in her sleep again Something she mever did unless she was having a nightmare. Tim knew better than trying to wake her up, though.

"Promise..." The last word was just a whisper, then Abby fell silent once again. How had she managed to fall asleep in the ten minutes it took him to get here? He couldn't even wake himself up in that amount of time. But Abby smiled just then, and suddenly, all other thoughts melted away. Who was he kidding? He shouldn't worry so much. Abby can take care of herself.

**AN: Soo what do you think? Who's Abby dating, huh? What's going on with her? And why is Gibbs building a crib if Abby isn't pregnant? Or is she...?**


	2. Chapter 2

By Monday, Abby's current symptoms had not only gotten worse, but new ones had appeared. She felt nauseous, and her head was pounding severely by the time she arrived at work that morning. Work was slow today, as there was no new cases yet. After fifteen minutes of suffering alone in the lab, Abby decided to seek company in the bullpen. Upon finding the elevator, she felt a sudden chill. It was unbearably cold in here. She ignored the sensation and went to go find McGee.

"Well, who were you with then?" Tony demanded. Tim shrugged his shoulders. He'd managed to keep who he'd been dating a secret all this time. Not even Gibbs seemed aware of it.

"It is none of your business," McGee responded in a tired tone. "I'm getting back to work now."

"On what? There's nothing to work on!" Tony yelped as Gibbs gave him a more intense headslap than usual. Abby walked into the bullpen and smiled brightly at the sight of Tim. Her cheeks were flushed from some unknown heat source, and she looked slightly pale everywhere else, but otherwise appeared to be in perfect health.

"What, did you run around the elevator in circles in your excitment?" Tony asked. Gibbs sent him a warning glare.

"Hey, Abs, did you sleep well?" Gibbs said.

"Yeah, I was fine," Abby replied, not quite meeting his eyes. She skipped over to Tim's desk before he could respond.

"Timmy! Why haven't you visited me yet?"

"Sorry, Abs, I've been swamped with fan mail...and my editor keeps getting on me about my next book. Was there something you wanted?"

"Well, I was _hoping_ that Black Princess could have Elf Lord's help on conquering the kingdom you mentioned earlier..." She gave him a fliratious, suggestive smile that caused him to catch onto what she meant at once. Tony looked back and forth between them, the only clueless one in the bullpen. Ziva smiled to herself as she answered an email from a far away friend in Israel.

"Elf Lord is at your service, Your Highness," Tim said respectfully, kissing Abby on the hand. Abby blushed as he lead her down to her lab.

"I know who Probie's dating!" Tony blurted, knocking over a mug of pencils and pens in his excitement. Muttering under his breath, he dropped to the floor to pick them up.

"I believe its obvious, Tony," Ziva said. "And if I were you, I wouldn't get involved unless you want a headslap so strong your grandchildren will feel it." Tony sighed and sat back in his chair, the mess now cleaned up.

"You're right." Ziva looked at him in surprise. "It is none of my business. And Probie is really going to get it from Gibbs once he find out..." He glanced at the boss's desk, which was now empty.

"Have you noticed something different about Abby?" Ziva asked quietly. Gibbs came back into the bullpen with a cup of coffee in his hand. Tony thought for a minute, remembering how she looked earlier.

"Yeah, a little bit. Why?"

"It just all seems strange, don't you think?" She looked at him. Tony nodded in agreement. Maybe Abby was catching a cold or something. But why didn't she see Ducky? He voiced this thought to Ziva, who seemed to have been along the same line in thinking.

"Perhaps it is because Abby doesn't know what's wrong just yet. I think we should keep an eye on her so we can figure it out ourselves."

"Good thinking," GIbbs said without looking up.

**This line break is prone to stealing cookies. I lost half my secret stash already! BEWARE OF THE COOKIE STEALING LINE BREAK!**

"Why did you really want me down here?" Tim asked slyly as he reached over to turn down the music. Abby turned off the sereo with the special silver remote. Her back was turned to him, always a bad sign. Suddenly, she spun around, a playful smile on her face.

"To kidnap you," she said in an odd voice, "against your will, and have you here forever as mine, and mine only."

"Sounds a little cliche," Tim said disapprovingly, "but I'll give you credit for trying to be poetic and romantic." Abby's face was far too flushed with heat for the current temperature in here. And yet, he could see that she trembled slightly from cold.

"Abs, are you alright?"

"Fine," she said briskly, brushing off his concern. "I just have a headache that needs to be taken care of." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and left the lab.

**I am a kine break. You are a reader. That much is obvious. It is unlikely your life will ever change from crossing paths with me, but I still tend to hope that it might...**

"Palmer," Ducky called to his assistant. "Do stop fooling around and get back to the game at hand. Now, the tibia here seems to be a little out of shape, could you fix that up for me?" Ducky looked up from the autopsy table to see Tim walk in.

"Hello, Timothy." He dropped the bone he was holding back onto the table and smiled at the agent.

"Hi, Ducky. Have you seen Abby since she said she was going to take care of her headache?" The ME gave him a calculating look that was hard to read.

"Ah, no...in fact I haven't seen her down here for some time. Is she alright?"

"That's the problem, I'm afraid. I don't know." Ducky's expression grew troubled.

"Well, has she been acting out of the ordinary lately?"

"Not really, but she seems a little...under the weather. I don't know if she is entirely aware of it yet, trying to deny it, or what. But I'm worried."

"I'd imagine so. What symptoms does she seem to be suffering from, my dear boy?"

"Headache, and possibly a fever. I have no idea what else...it's probably nothing. I mean, if Abby isn't concerned about it, why should I be?" He did have a point.

"Even so, it doesn't mean we shouldn't just let our dear Abigail fall ill," Ducky reasoned. "I'll have to think this through. Though you are right, things don't seem to be serious for her right now."

"See you later, then. Tell Jimmy to behave himself." Palmer blushed a furious magenta and ducked his head. Well, somebody had a busy weekend...Tim smiled to himself and left autopsy in high spirits, running into Gibbs when he got into the elevator. Good feeling was gone. He swore the temperature dropped ten degrees when the boss met his eyes.

"B-Boss," Tim stuttered. _Damn it_, he thought. What a time for his stutter to make an appearence.

"Rule 12. You and Abby aren't in the same field. Do not worry about it." Tim stared at Gibbs for a moment to make sure he was serious.

"But what if Tony and Ziva-"

"I doubt anything will ever happen between them. Somalia changed everything." The elevator doors slid open, revealing Tony and Ziva in the middle of a heated debate on Ziva's latest English language flub. At this, Tim couldn't help but smile as he returned to his desk. Ah, the life of a federal agent in DC. But he wouldn't have it any other way.


	3. Chapter 3

_Later that day_

Abby felt unbearably cold. The shivers and tremors were constant now. Muscles ached like she had been using every single one too much for hours at a time without any rest. It felt like the soreness had creeped into her bones, even. But she kept walking, hoping some time out in the rain would make her feel a little better. The light drizzle had turned into an absolute downpour. Abby shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.

"The weather's pretty humid, right?" She glanced to her right, but didn't see the source to the voice that had startled her so much. The nausea became a sudden distraction. Abby moaned and crawled toward the bushes. She shuddered, dry heaving in the damp grass. Everything hurt. It was so, so cold. Why was it so cold? Icy pain sank all the way down into her very core. It wrapped her joints and throbbed in her msucles.

"T-Timmy..." He'd be worried about her. So, sucking up all the pain, she made her way back inside undetected. Now, to find a change of clothes and act like everything was perfectly normal. Abby felt so weak from all that walking. All she wanted to do was sleep. But, instead, she reached for a Caf-Pow! and turned to her computer and set to work on an old program from months ago. She felt a little better after getting a change of clothes, but she was still freezing cold. Abby continued sucking down the Caf-Pow! in an attempt to gain some energy.

"Hey there," Tim said, appearing in the doorway. Abby smiled and threw out the now empty cup. Her boyfriend handed her a new one, which she gratefully accepted.

"I see you've been up to no good..."

"And I see you were having a party in the rain," Tim replied. "You shouldn't be running around like that. You'll catch a cold or something." _Its already too late for that, Tim._ Abby smiled at him.

"No need to be so worried. If I ever get sick, you know its never anything major." Abby decided to at least imply some of the truth in that statement. Tim didn't reply, but just turned the stereo back on, at a normal volume this time.

"I think its pretty warm in here, don't you think?" The goth girl shook her head.

"No, quite the opposite, actually." Tim gave her a strange look. "Just a little cold, okay? Not a b-big d-deal." Oh, no. She couldn't fight it any longer. Everything hurt. But she can't have them worry, the pity and concern would be more than she could bear.

"But its almost eighty degrees in here. Do you have a fever or something?" He put his hand on her forehead and yelped at the hotness there.

"Don't tell Ducky!" Abby cried out, taking a few steps away from him.

"I have to!" Tim said. "You're sick, and you can't be here if you don't feel well." She sent him a withering glare that caused him to silence at once.

"Promise me. It is not your concern, or your business. Do _not_ go to Ducky, and _especially_ keep this from Gibbs. As much as it hurts me to lie to him, I don't need him worrying about me when there's work to do. So, promise me to pretend nothing happened." Tim opened his mouth to argue, because, really she was being ridiculous, but new words came out instead.

"What fever?"

****

Later that day, Tim was stopped by Ziva before he could get into his car to go home.

"Did you find out anything about Abby?" she asked.

_"Do not go to Ducky, and especially keep this from Gibbs."_

"I...am not sure." He remembered the look on Abby's face when she made him promise to keep her illness a secret. Ziva gave him a suspicious look.

"I see. Abby's put you up to this, hasn't she?" _I should really work on lying a whole lot better..._

"If I were you, I wouldn't bother her about this."

"If you say so, McGee." She got into her car without another word. Why did he feel like he was doing the wrong thing by keeping this a secret? Couldn't she just see Ducky to have her flu taken care of before things got out of hand instead of insisting it wasn't a big deal?

"Hey Probster! What's holding you up?" Tony called.

"I was about to leave," Tim said. "I could ask you the same thing."

"Had to make a phone call. Jeanne said she wanted to talk...I have no idea why though. She and I haven't spoken in a long time."

"I wish you good luck...maybe she finally decided to switch to a new form of torture." McGee grinned evilly at him.

"Come on, really? I haven't bashed you about your relationship."

"Well, first, because you didn't even know I was in one, and second, you don't want Gibbs to kill you." Tony sent a glare his way.

"Seriously, you know me too well," the agent grumbled. "I'm going home...it's just you and Abby now."

"I thought she already went home," Tim said, frowning.

"No, she said that she had a few last minute things to take care of before leaving for today. Huh. Even when there isn't much work to do she always seems busy and overworked, don't you think, Probie?"

**This line break dislikes being used as something to represent time passing. OH WELL, TOO BAD!**

Abby bent over the trashcan for the third time, emptying the contents of her stomach. Icy shivers ran down her spine. Everything throbbed in agony. Her head pounded even worse than before. In short, she felt horrible.

"Gotta get home," she muttered, wiping her mouth and painfully getting to her feet. So cold. She could hardly take another step. Every movement was a fiery blast of pain, then the ice quickly took over to the point she'd never feel warm again. Even though she drank seven or more Caf-Pows! today, she still felt exhausted, as if she'd gone several nights without sleep. Well, part of that may be owing to the fact she barely got any sleep last night. But even so, Abby always found a way to be full of energy.

Back at home, Abby was relieved to finally go to bed. She didn't really feel hungry. She'd felt like this for the past three days. Food just didn't feel like a priority. So, wrapping herself up as tightly as possible, Abby sank into a troubled sleep.

_"Why didn't you tell me you were sick?" Gibbs said. "I could have helped you."_

_"Can't you help me now?" Abby asked meekly. She just wanted the suffering to end._

_"Its too late, Abs. We're losing you..." She thought she could hear his voice shake a little, see tears in his eyes._

_"No! I don't want to die!" Abby shrieked, thrashing in the hospital bed. "I'm too young! I'm too young! I never got to tell Timmy I love him! No! Don't let this happen to me, Gibbs! I'm sorry..."_

"I'm sorry!" Abby screamed, snapping out of the dream. Oh. Good. It was only a dream. She sighed and glanced at the clock. She only slept for two hours. There was no way she was getting back to sleep now. Maybe counting sheep would work. Who was she kidding? That was lame. Abby sighed and stared at the ceiling, remembering one time, as a child, she wanted those star stickers all over her room so it would be like outer space. It was restful and made her feel safe. Stars, everywhere, each one telling a different story of some kind. And, feeling more tired than ever, her eyes slid shut again. Her body felt so heavy. Just the prospect of moving sounded painful. So, she didn't, because it would definitely hurt too much.

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

"Five more minutes," Abby growled.

A little while later...

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

"Shut up...I'm trying to sleep..."

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

"Fine, I'll get up, then!" She groggily opened her eyes. Okay, so it was 0900. Now what? Oh, crap, she overslept! That woke her up, if at least a little bit. Her fever had gotten worse. Everything felt much, much worse. She didn't feel like playing the fashion game today, so she just threw on whatever she could fine. Makeup was at the minimal. Just the act of driving to work took out most of her energy. This was going to be a long day...

"Abby!" Gibbs growled. Oh no, he was in her lab! That couldn't be good. "Where have you been?" She trembled as more shivers took over.

"I...overslept, Gibbs. I'm sorry!" This was just like her nightmare.

"It's okay. I just wanted to make sure nothing happened to you." His face softened, and she felt relieved.

"There is a new case today. You are lucky McGee decided to cover for you while you were still at home. I want results within the next half hour." He brushed by to get out of the lab. As soon as he was gone, Abby collapsed into the chair and let out a shaky sigh that barely carried across the room. That was a close one...much too close. He was going to figure it out eventually. And when he did...well, she didn't want to think about how many headslaps she was going to get for pulling this little stunt. So, holding her breath against the sore muscles and aching joints, she set to work.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I thank the internet for the research I did on the illness that Abby happens to be suffering from. I give credit to the following sites: Google, Yahoo News, and Wikipedia. It is true that in Key West there is an outbreak of the virus mentioned later on in this chapter, according to Yahoo News. Left untreated, it can be deadly in rare cases.**

"Well, Korn Cobb here, ironically did _not_ work on a farm as I imagined," Tony started.

"He worked as a mail delivaryman," Ziva added, deciding to jump in before he made another unnecessary joke. "Never married, had a girlfriend who lived across the street from him who is going to be back in town tomorrow."

"Name?" Gibbs prompted, not really listening to them. All he could think about was how...off Abby had seemed that morning, confirming his suspicions. He hadn't got a chance to visit her for the past hour.

"Brittney Walker. She's a fourth grade teacher at Gerogetown Elementry," McGee said.

"McGee, Ziva, go," Gibbs ordered. The two agents left at once, no questions asked, no protests made. Quite unlike Tony, who was now quietly grumbling to himself as he set to work. Gibbs glanced at the time. It was almost 10:30. Abby would be waiting for him.

**I DON'T OWN NCIS I DON'T OWN NCIS I DON'T OWN NCIS I DON'T OWN NCIS I DON'T OWN NCIS I DON'T OWN NCIS I DON'T OWN NCIS**

Pain. Cold. Aches. Fever. Headache. Why won't it stop? Abby whimpered and put her head down on the table. _Gibbs...Timmy...can't hide it anymore...so sorry..._she began to drift off. Almost instantly someone was shaking her awake.

"Abs, are you alright?"

"Five more minutes," she mumbled, starting to fall asleep again. Gibbs felt her forehead.

"You're burning up. I'm taking you to Ducky right now."

"No..."

"Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

"Didn't want you to worry. Thought it wasn't that bad." Her sentenced came out garbled from exhaustion. Gibbs sighed and carried Abby down to autopsy.

"Could you check her temperature real quick, Duck? I know you're busy but she looks pretty bad."

"Oh, my. Alright. Jimmy, could you finish up with the autopsy?"

"Will do, Doctor." Abby pried her eyes open. Everything hurt more than she ever thought possible.

"It hurts, Gibbs."

"What does?" Gibbs asked.

"Everything..."

"I'll need to run some basic tests...oh dear. What's this?"

"What, Ducky?"

"She seems to have a slight rash right about here." He lifted up her shirt to see if it had spread. It had, to confirm his suspicions.

"I think I know what may be wrong with our dear Abigail." Jimmy looked up, pausing in his stitching.

"Tell me."

"Well, I have only seen this once before, when I was out in-"

"Get to the point, Duck."

"Yes, I believe Abby has what is known as dengue fever, which can be contracted from the Aedes mosquito that can carry the dengue virus. They can be found in parts of Africa, and sometimes in more heated parts of the United States, such as Florida. Symptoms include joint and muscle pain, sudden onset of fever, and a distinct rash on the skin."

"Bethesda, then."

"In most cases the illness can go away on its own. Let's wait a little while and see if her condition worsens." Jimmy put away the body and started cleaning up the table. Gibbs set Abby down the second the assistant was finished.

"Where are you going, Jethro?" Ducky called.

"Coffee," was his reply.

**NCIS ROCKS NCIS ROCKS NCIS ROCKS NCIS ROCKS NCIS ROCKS NCIS ROCKS NCIS ROCKS NCIS ROCKS NCIS ROCKS**

"Have you heard from Abby?" Tim asked Ziva anxiously when they had returned to NCIS. "She's not down in her lab. I haven't seen her at all today."

"She's probably-"

"Down in autopsy," Gibbs said, sitting down at his desk.

"I'm going," Tony blurted, lurching out of his chair and running for the elevator. Ziva and McGee exchanged a glance and followed him out.

**IMMA BE ROCKING THIS STORY BOOOOM!** **This line break is a Black Eyed Peas fan!**

"Abigail, I need you to tell me where it hurts, alright?" Even the slightest brush against her skin caused her to cringe in pain, amplified the suffering tenfold. Ducky watched her eyes flash in pain, mingling with the glazed over look so common with high fevers.

"What's wrong with her?" Palmer asked, coming back in.

"She's got a very high fever, that's the main concern at the moment. I need you to get some cloths and make sure they're cold and damp."

"How is she?" Tony asked. McGee and Ziva appeared behind him.

"The same, if not worse," Ducky replied in his normally soothing tone.

"Tony," Abby croaked out, managing a smile.

"Hey, Abs, why'd you get sick on me?"

"You may want to stay back, Anthony," Ducky advised. "She is very contagious right now." Tony nodded and made sure to keep his distance.

"Hey, remember when you got the plague, and you asked Kate why she wasn't sick?" Abby smiled at him.

"Yeah...she said she was stronger than me."

"I miss her," Abby said quietly. McGee nodded in sympathy. Ziva's face was unreadable, but Ducky saw her hand go the the Star of David around her neck. Grief was different for everyone, but he found this strange, considering she had never known Kate.

"I'm gonna go now. Get well soon, okay?" Abby started dropping off to sleep the second he was gone. McGee stepped forward, never taking his eyes off her.

"Abs, why did you do this to me?" Tim whined, feeling his heart break at Abby's feverish, lifeless face. But when she smiled, some of the light came back to her eyes, and the flushed unhealthy look faded away some. And, for a second, he almost believed that she was well again.

"Sorry," Abby whispered. Apology reflected in those green eyes he fell in love with when Tim had first met her. She looked so sad and miserable in that moment that he wanted to reach out and tell her everything was going to be okay, even though it really wasn't. But the moment passed as quickly as it had come, and he just looked at her.

"I'll see you later, okay? I bet Gibbs will end up taking you to his house and strapping you down to the bed so that you don't go to work when you should be resting."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"You promise me?"

"I...promise." Abby couldn't stay awake any longer, and just went back to sleep as McGee and Ziva left autopsy in silence.


	5. Chapter 5

_Cold...it never faded...aches, they just got worse. Why oh why did this have to happen?_

When Abby woke up again, she was in her bed at home. She still felt as horrible as ever, but she tried shoving away the pain so that she could think and figure out what was going on. Tim stood there in the doorway.

"Glad to see you're awake finally," he said with a smile.

"What time is it?"

"Almost six in the morning...of the next day."

"Wha?" Abby mumbled. How could she have been asleep that long?

"You're sick, of course you are going to sleep a lot. Do you want me to make you some soup before I leave?"

"Just...some crackers." Though she hadn't had a full meal since Friday, she still didn't feel all that hungry.

"Okay then. Here are some crackers I found in the pantry. Do you want some water?" A brief nod of the head. After McGee set the water and crackers on the end table, he left the room without another word. She waited until she was sure that he was gone. After nibbling on a cracker and drinking all the water, she went off into the living room and turned on the TV. She watched several episodes of SpongeBob, seeing that she couldn't find anything else to watch. After a while, her phone rang and she answered it.

"Abigail, I want you to meet me at the doctor's office. I'm going to find you medication for the joint pain that you have been experiencing." In an instant, she was off to her car, briefly wondering if it was safe to drive like this but otherwise thinking nothing of it. The drive up to the interstate was uneventful. Then traffic really started to get crazy.

Abby sighed. The minutes dragged on as she inched her car forward. Ten minutes soon turned into twenty, then half an hour. In that amount of time she only traveled half a mile.

"Great, better tell Ducky I'm running late." She shivered so violently that she nearly dropped her phone. Abby tried again, but saw that her hands were shaking too much to even press speed dial.

"Get out of the way!" a voice shouted. Abby turned the steering wheel on a hard right, her car spinning out of control. The road here was new, and something had been spilled in the area not long before. She slammed on the brakes and finally came to a halt over in the next lane, nearly colliding into another vehicle. Though she was unharmed, her nose was bleeding severely.

"Oh no," Abby muttered, her voice sounding strange and clogged up from the blood. She pulled her car over to a mall complex close to the doctor's office. The basics of a nosebleed. Lean back, pinch your nose until the bleeding stopped. Five minutes passed with no success. Blood was everywhere. Her hand was stained with it. Blood trickled down her chin toward her mouth.

_What do I do?_ Abby thought frantically, desperately trying to stem the flow. A few more seconds ticked by, then she called Ducky.

"Abby? What's the holdup?"

"I need you to come here...I can't drive."

"Why?"

"I've gob a nosebleeb." Or that's what it sounded like.

"Hang on, I'll get you to the hospital. Your illness was worse than I thought."

"Wha...Dubck, I f-feel-"

"What is it?"

"I f-feel cold."

**The sun will come out tomorrow, bet your-Stop, stop, stop! WAIT! This isn't a musical, this is a line break! WHEN WILL YOU EVER LEARN!**

"Hey, Ziva, how'd the interrogation go?" Tim asked.

"Fine," she replied with a shrug. "How's Abby?"

"She seemed the same as last night...I didn't talk to her for that long because I knew Gibbs needed me in here on time."

"You sure it was just talk?" Tony said teasingly. Tim rolled his eyes.

"Really, Tony? Abby is sick, I wouldn't...do that to her."

"I was just kidding, McSerious," Tony grumbled, scowling at the computer screen before him.

"Did Ducky ever get medication for Abby?" Ziva wondered.

"No, he said Abby was supposed to meet him there."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Tony cut in. "She could barely keep her eyes open the other day."

"Ah...Ducky said it would be fine. It's only a ten minute drive. And if anything happened, she could always call him, right?"

"Tim has a point," Ziva said to Tony, who merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Its her funeral," he replied, earning a mega headslap from Gibbs.

"Too soon, boss?" Gibbs didn't say anything.

"Hey, I found something on his grilfriend," Tim said, changing the subject. "It says here that she spent an unusual amount of time with him. Her friends said she was obsessed, but she didn't listen...and then he cheated on her a week before his death."

"Anything else?" Ziva prompted.

"Brittney sure called Korn a lot...and emailed him. She became very possessive as the weeks went by it seems."

"Alright, so we have a suspect and a motive, any further evidence?"

"The forensics can't be worked out until Abby gets back."

"We don't know when that is," Gibbs said, interrupting them. "A temproary replacement will be here by tomorrow."

"Bet that person will be nothing like Abby," Tony muttered under his breath. There was a pause, during which Gibbs flipped his phone open the second it began virbrating.

"Yeah Gibbs." He listened for a minute, his expression growing more intense by the second.

"What happened?" Suddenly, Ziva, McGee, and Tony were all straining to hear what was going on with the other side of the conversation.

"Does that really happen with it?" Another long silence. In truth, it was less than a minute, but with tensions so high it felt like an eternity, suspended, stretching on and on until, finally, Gibbs nodded, his final response prepared.

"Be right there." The phone snapped shut and was slid back into a pocket. Hurried footsteps across the carpet. The ding of an elevator broke the spell, and all three agents looked at one another in confusion.

"What just happened?" Tony asked, speaking everyone's minds at that moment.

"No idea," Tim said. "Let's follow him."

"How?" Ziva wondered, her soft brown eyes thoughtful.

"Trace his phone," Tim intrsucted. Ziva nodded and started typing away at her keyboard. There was a brief silence.

"Where is he headed?" Tony asked.

"Bethesda," Ziva murmured. "I recognize the route."

"Abby," McGee breathed, fear sparking his green eyes with a fiery light not often seen in the agent.

**I am a line break...Obey my commands or you'll get a hug that is so awkward you'll wonder if Voldemort was the one who hugged you.**

At the hospital, Gibbs met up with Ducky, who looked anxious and slightly unsettled, quite out of character for him.

"Doctors say anything yet?" Ducky shook his head. Gibbs sank into the most uncomfortable hospital chair he could find and settled in for the typically long wait to hear news of his forensics specialist. _Oh God...Abby_. She'd better pull through. Gibbs wouldn't let her die. There was no way he was losing her too. Not after everything that they'd been through together. That smile, those eyes. She was too full of life and just simply, much, much, too young to die.

"Jethro, she's going to be fine," Ducky assured his friend. Gibbs didn't respond, too lost in memories of Abby to think of anything else. She was like a daughter to him...precious and fragile.

"Hello, I am Doctor Edith Janailade."The small, dark woman held out a hand and Gibbs shook it.

"You are listed as Ms. Sciuto's next of kin, am I right?" Gibbs nodded, deciding that it didn't really matter that the doctor didn't address Abby by her first name.

"Any news on Abby?" Ducky spoke up.

"She's had a really high fever, 104.7, which is very dangerous for most people. My team managed to get her temperature under control. As for the joint pain, she is on an IV with medication right now to take care of that. Ms. Sciuto also had some hemorraging, which is something sometimes seen with the dengue virus. It is a good thing you brought her to us when you did. She could have gone into shock."

"How long until she can be discharged?"

"At the moment its more of a watch and wait sort of thing to see if her condition worsens, so I wouldn't count on her getting out within the next few days." Gibbs nodded again. He was expecting an answer like that.

"Okay then. May we see her, Doctor?"

"She is asleep at the moment, but you may go see her in room 127 on the second floor, third door on the left." The doctor walked off toward the ICU section, occasionally giving orders to others around the area.

"Well, let's go see her then," Ducky said when Gibbs didn't move. They went off in search of Abby's room.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Currently listening to "Solitude" by Evanescence. Okay you didn't really need to know that...but I just think Amy Lee is awesome. This has got to be my new favorite song from this great band.**

**Disclaimer: I don't NCIS. Sad, but true. The end.**

"Boss," Tony said, approaching Abby's room. Ziva and McGee were close behind him, both looking a little apprehensive.

"Right in there," Gibbs told him, pointing at the doorway. Tony was first to enter. He was instantly shocked at the sight of Abby. Her face was burning with intense fever. Even with the doctor's efforts to get her temperature down, she was still a lot hotter than she should be. She was tossing and turning in a feverish, restless sleep, and according to the uneasy look on her face, she was probably having nightmares.

"Abby," Tony whispered, his voice cracking slightly. His baby sister. Going through so much pain that she didn't even deserve. Why couldn't it have been him?

"Tony?" Ziva asked softly, approaching the agent with caution. He just sighed and shrugged her off.

"I'm going to get coffee," he muttered, not looking at anyone as he trudged out of the hospital.

"Should I go after him?" Tim murmured, feeling concern for his friend. Gibbs shook his head ever so slightly.

"Let him go." McGee nodded and slumped into an unconfortable hospital chair just inside the doorway, waiting for the one he loved so dearly to wake up.

_Abby...oh God, Abby...please pull through!_ the agent prayed silently.

Meanwhile, Ziva was suffering as well, but in a completely different way. She sifted through the Hebrew language, searching for the right words, but could come up with nothing. She just felt empty, blank with shock. How could this happen to Abby, of all people? The thing was, there was nobody to take out her aggression on, because no single _person_ passed this on to Abby.

"Where has Abby been this past week that could have caused her to get so sick?" Ziva asked Gibbs. He merely shrugged. The only one who would know the answer to that question would be Abby herself. And she was practically in a coma from the fever.

"Are you staying here tonight? I need to get home. Call me if there's any change, Jethro." Ducky left. Okay, so now there were three of them. Ziva could deal with that. Better than being all alone, where she'd have to actually face the endless worry and panic. That one thought which never went away no matter what the doctors said: _What if she didn't make it?_ Yeah, the doctors and nurses here worked miracles, but they weren't super human.

Death still happened. Any one of them could still lose the battle to live. Sometimes there was just no preventing such a fate, given the injuries were severe enough. Or in this case, sickness. Ducky had said in most cases the illness went away on its own. Abby didn't exactly apply to 'most cases.'

Ziva smiled a little, remembering when she had actually started to become friends with the Goth scientist. Granted, it was an unusual friendship, but unusual seemed to suit Abby more often than not. Strange clothing, outrageous taste in music...she bowled with nuns and slept in a coffin. She hugged everyone, regardless of relationship status. Yes, Abby was definitely one of a kind.

_Get well, my friend...for the sake of our team, please get well,_ Ziva thought. A hand gently came down on her shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Tony standing there.

"Sorry I lost it like that. Coffee?" He handed her a fresh cup of the beverage, which she quietly accepted. Tony went to go retrieve some coffee for himself. Things were quiet despite the hustle and bustle of doctors and nurses. A light haired, timid nurse flitted into Abby's room and came back out a few minutes later.

Gibbs was absorbed in all the times he and Abby had communicated in sign language. Sometimes it was preferable to speaking, even. Her quick, flurried movements were full of confidence, and the happy shine of those lumonescent, almost child-like eyes matched the exact emotion she happened to be feeling.

Gloved hands, black pigtails and lipstick, she was nothing like Kelly, except in the respect of her endless capacity to care about others. She was a dark angel. His daughter. Precious. Someone that he wanted to protect from the harms of the world no matter what. But he couldn't protect her from this...ugly virus ravaging her body, causing her unspeakable pain. Gibbs would like to be the one taking care of her, but even if he was...with her asleep, there wouldn't have been much for him to do except to watch and wait. Exactly what he was doing right now.

Tim didn't even dare himself to blink, not even when that nurse came in to check Abby's vitals. She was going to have to wake up eventually, and when she did, he wanted to make sure the first thing he saw was her face, the first thing he heard was his voice...because she was his everything.

From the moment he first caught a shy glimpse of the grinning Goth, he could scarecly bear to be away from her even for a second. That was when the random visits started. Kate and Tony and later on Ziva soon picked up on the habit, thinking he was doing this so Abby wouldn't be so lonely all the time.

But soon Tim started coming up with excuses to see Abby, even if they weren't case related. Several times Gibbs gave him a suspicious look but that didn't stop the agent from going down there anyway. He was simply...in love with her. The break up was heart wrenching, but that didn't stop him from giving her all the attention she needed. For someone so afraid of commitment, Abby was pretty serious about loving him back.

Then, they decided to try again on their relationship not long after Gibbs hired Kate. But then, she died, leaving Abby so devastated that she had no choice but to break things off a second time. Tim had more patience in store this time. Grief was different for everyone. Half a year passed.

They tried the 'friends with benefits' thing again, but when Gibbs ended up in the hospital and lost his memory, he thought this sort of thing wouldn't help matters at all. More time passed. Ziva slowly started to trust the team. Tim's relationship with Abby hung at a standstill. Until two and a half months ago, that is.

Tim had no idea how much time had passed, but it was long enough for that nurse to come in three more times. He checked his watch. It was currently half past ten. Not that late, but late enough for him to realize how long he'd gone without coffee. Just as he looked up, he saw Tony standing there, a coffee in each hand.

"Here, take one." Tim smiled.

"Thanks."

"You know, I actually think you and Abby make...a nice couple."

"Really?"

"Don't tell Gibbs I said that, though," Tony said quickly, but Tim could tell he was just kidding around. He took a sip of coffee, and noticed Tony had given him his favorite.

"You okay?" Tony asked, sitting in a chair beside him.

"I guess," Tim murmured. He drifted his gaze back over to Abby, who seemed to be sleeping more peacefully now.

_These wound won't seem to heal_

_This pain is just too real_

_There's just too much that time cannot erase_

_When you'd cry I'd wipe away all of your tears_

_When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears_

His head snapped around, searching for the source of the noise. He swore that was Abby's voice...what else would his dark angel be thinking of right now other than the pain she could possibly be causing in everyone? But, the music faded away. Suddenly, he just had to know where that singing was coming from. He ventured out of the room and saw a shiny black iPod in Ziva's hands. Out of the brilliant silver headphones, he could faintly hear a single by Evanescence playing.

"Where did you get that?" Tim asked cautiously. Ziva shrugged.

"Abby let me borrow this before she went on vacation."

"Vacation?" he repeated numbly. "What?" He felt so confused.

"Oh, I suppose I just remembered." Ziva paused the music just as the song reached its climax. "About a week ago, Abby went to Key West on some vacation. I am not sure why. She said mosquitoes swarmed her like mad but otherwise spoke nothing of it. I didn't think it was useful information...but it would explain how she got so sick."

"Abby wouldn't simply let this _happen_ to her," McGee said, trying to make sense of all this. How _could_ she let such a thing happen? Of all situations for them to wind up in...


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Okay, guys I'm thinking about giving up fan fiction because I'm not getting enough reviews!**

**O.o**

**HAHAHA, just kidding. But seriously, I'd like some more reviews...**

**Disclaimer: I bet Bellisarius doesn't beg for more viewers-he DEMANDS for them. Just sayin'.**

**Hey I just realized this title has something to do with an Evanescence song.**

**Not exactly what I was planning...**

"Any change yet?" Tony asked quietly, coming back with his third coffee. Tim grunted an assent, half asleep from staying up till two in the morning.

"Saw her stir a couple times, like she was waking up," Ziva said, appearing in the room. She didn't look the least bit tired, though she hadn't drunk as much coffee other agents. Abby moaned, very close to waking now.

"I'm going to go home, Tony," Ziva murmured. "I'll see you tomorrow." She started to leave. Tony grabbed her arm without thinking.

"Ziva..." He just looked at her. She shook her head, as if to say, _not now_. They had a certain talent for having a conversation without words. After an endless moment of intense staring, Ziva walked out of the room, her head bend down as she tried to hide what she was truly feeling. Quiet footsteps, and then she was gone. Tony slumped down into a chair, feeling more tired than ever despite the coffee.

"I think she's awake," Tim said. "You go on home. I think Gibbs and I both got it from here." Tony didn't move. A second later, there was a light snoring sound. Tony had fallen asleep in his chair. Tim was starting to feel tired as well...he let his eyes slide shut. Abby would be fine, he assured himself. Abby would be...

Abby woke up and looked around in confusion. What happened? Where was she? Delerium from the fever had set in, making it hard for her to think clearly. She thought back to the last moment she'd been aware of things. Blood...gushing out...it wouldn't stop. She remembered Ducky and his attentive hands. The word "hospital" followed by "emergency." Then nothing. She felt light headed, cold, achy, and there was a hollow throbbing somewhere at the back of her skull. Pain, at this point, was nothing new. She'd just have to live with it for now. So, ignoring all the familiar terrible sensations, her gaze settled on the two men with her in the room.

One had frazzled hair that appeared to have been arranged that way on purpose. His clothes were rumpled, but Abby could recognize a shirt with a picture from a movie she saw recently. His mouth was closed, making him almost unrecognizable. But she couldn't draw her eyes from his ruffled hair, a classic hairdo of Anthony Dinozzo.

Next to him was a leaner man of a less confident stature, also asleep and slumped over in an unconfortable position in a plastic chair obviously not meant for taking naps in. This man was completely different from his companion, from his lighter hair to the MIT shirt he so happened to be wearing at the moment. Oh, Timmy...there were dark circles under his eyes, and lines of worry creased his face even in sleep.

"I'll get better, for you," she whispered. Exhaustion began to take over once more. She'd get better...just for them. They'd miss her too much if she didn't.

**AN: Short I know but I had to get this update in. NOW I am going to go eat...I'm starving!**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: I was bored, so before coming with my mom to her classrooom the other day I looked up the fanfiction 'My Immortal' and saw it had been erased because it was so bad. **

**Edit: Due to certain...comments from a reviewer, a part of my original author's note has been removed. I apologize for causing an inconvienence to anyone.**

**Not sure why I haven't been getting reviews lately...maybe because my chapters need to be longer or something? Or MAYBE its so awesome you people are speechless by its awesomeness! Not to brag or anything.**

**Disclaimer: I wonder if Bellisarius brags about his show...that I don't own! Darn it! Too bad I can't use the excuse that he's "goffick" or a "perp" or "depressed" or a"Satanist" because I know that obviously these aren't the reasons why he won't give me the rights to the show. Come on...just ONE DAY can I write an episode? PLEASE?**

**AN 2: Sorry if the beginning is written badly. I am not very good with Vance's character, which is why he rarely appears in my stories.**

Leon Vance strode into the hospital, looking very purposeful, yet slightly anxious at the same time. He took the elevator, checking the note in his hand for the room number.

"Gibbs," Vance called once he had arrived. He looked up. "McGee and Dinozzo went home?" Gibbs nodded. "How is Ms. Sciuto?"

"She woke up awhile ago and barely recognized me."

"When do you suppose Ms. Sciuto will get well again? The replacement is driving me nuts right now. She is the complete opposite of who I'm used to dealing with." Gibbs had been expecting an answer like this. The hospital was always his least favorite place to be. From the white walls to the suffocating chemical smell, the place felt like a prison at times. Vance sat down next to Gibbs.

"You know we're going to have to look into this," the Director said.

"Ya think, Leon?" Gibbs replied. Vance decided to change the subject before things got too intense.

"In case you're wondering, the suspect will be brought in for questioning tomorrow morning." Suddenly, Gibbs straightened, straining his ears for some sound. Vance paused, wondering what was going on. A moment later he got his answer. From inside Abby's room there was a faint call. Gibbs got up and strode into the room. Vance followed him.

"Gibbs!" Abby's face lit up with a smile that brightened her feverish face a little. Then she noticed her other visitor. "What's the Director doing here?"

"Leon has a right to care about his agents too," Gibbs pointed out. This answer seemed to satisfy her, and a broader grin spread across her face.

"How you doing, Abs?" the silver haried man asked gently, approching her bedside.

"Like crap," she said. "But that's nothing new."

"Gibbs, I'll be needing to ask Ms. Sciuto a few questions," Vance said. A moment later the agent was gone.

"Wh-what do you want?" Abby asked uncertainly.

"Relax, I just want to know what happened to you in Florida." Abby visibly relaxed upon hearing this but some part of her still looked a little...off.

"Where did you go in Key West?" Gibbs had told him what he knew about Abby's little vacation last week.

"Well, the truth is...it wasn't exactly a _vacation_," she admitted. Her once lively green eyes now looked worried, exhausted, and swirled with pain.

"Then what was it?" Vance prompted, remaining professional as ever.

"My cousin needed me down there to examine something and he couldn't call anyone else on short notice, and you know what Gibbs is like about family."

"What were you examining?" Abby clamped her mouth shut, hesitating.

"I-well, it was something top secret, even I wasn't given all the details. I was just told to fix something and be on my merry way." It was clear she was unwilling to say anymore. Vance decided to end the questioning there.

"Alright, thank you, Ms. Sciuto. You were very coopertive." He got up from his position by her hospital bed and left the room. The second he was gone, Gibbs came back in. Abby sighed in relief.

"You want me to call the nurse now?" She nodded. Gibbs pressed the designated button and sat down next to the bed in an abandoned chair.

"I'll let you get some sleep-"

"No," Abby interrupted. "I'm not tired right now." But her heavy eyes said otherwise. Fever tended to do that to a person, especially a prolonged one just barely brought under control not more than a couple hours ago.

"If you say so," Gibbs said with a shrug. He had a feeling there was something she wasn't telling him. Something...important. But he wasn't going to get withheld information by being _agreeable_. That hardly ever got him anywhere.

"Abs, what did you need to fix in Florida? I didn't hear you tell Vance about it." Her reaction was instant and predictable: fear and uncertainty. She shook her head, shrinking back against the pillows as if they'd provide protection against Gibbs's icy, steady stare. Why didn't she want to answer a simple question? Unless there was more to this whole Florida business than he thought. That seemed like a likely answer.

_Vance's office- 0230 am_

The door banged open. Vance didn't even look up, knowing who was barging into his office already. He continued packing his things up as if nothing had happened.

"If there's something you need, say it now within the five minutes it'll take for me to leave the building," Vance said.

"I need Abby's file," Gibbs demanded. For the first time, he looked up at the man.

"What is this about?"

"Florida. Key West. Abby's supposed...vacation."

"What would her file tell you that you don't already know?" Vance questioned.

"Her cousin's identity. You got it or not?" Something cream colored was slammed into Gibbs's chest. Gibbs caught a glimpse of Abby's name but nothing more on the front. He stood there in silence for a moment before finally walking out, file in hand.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Am I doing Vance pretty good? Did I make him as unlikable as he is on the show?**

**AN 2: I realized I unconsciously borrowed some partial lyrics from an Evanescence song for the title. But its SUCH A GREAT BAND and Amy Lee's voice is amazing...their song are so inspirational despite the dark themes.**

**Disclaimer: Bellisarius didn't have to question his abilities...just like Gibbs. Too bad for me.**

The illness plaguing Abby's body was slowly starting to go away. The signs were subtle, but there nonetheless. Now that she was passing out of the danger zone, Abby was cleared to be moved out of the ICU ward. Her new room was on the first floor near the children's ward for some odd reason. Six hours had passed since Gibbs's encounter with Vance at Bethesda. The sun was rising over an active Washington, D.C. that morning. A dark haired woman could be seen slowly walking down the street, lost in thought.

"Ziva! Wait up!" She picked up the pace, unwilling to speak with anyone at the moment. Tony panted, trying to keep up with her. Suddenly, she stopped, causing him to slam into her.

"What do you want, Tony?" Ziva sighed.

"You've hardly spoken a word to me since yesterday. What's the deal?" Ziva looked away and turned to face the hospital. She started for the inside.

"Come on, talk to me," Tony begged, following her into the unnaturally cool lobby of the hospital. A receptionist was typing away. She looked up as they came in.

"I don't want to speak to you," Ziva said stiffly. Tony shrugged, letting it go for now.

The remaining journey to Abby's new room was short and silent, during which Ziva contemplated the way everyone dealt with this...uncertainty. Tony made jokes. While that was all fine and good, some didn't seem to react at all. Gibbs for instance was a good example of said impassiveness. Abby, on the opposite end of the spectrum, reacted a little over the top, always buzzing around with crazed energy that had no bounds. They walked in to see Abby arguing with Gibbs about when she could go back to work.

"I see she's feeling well enough to be her normal self," Tony remarked.

"For the last time, can't you wait till your at least well enough to get out of bed without collapsing?" Gibbs exclaimed, half amused, half frustrated with the Goth.

"I'm fine!" Abby insisted, swinging her legs over the bed and letting her feet touch the floor. Instantly, she swayed, her face going paler than usual, contrasting the previously crazed heat from earlier. Gibbs swiftly caught her and helped her back onto the bed.

"What did I tell you?" Gibbs said. Abby mutely glared at him.

"I see this was a bad time," Tony muttered, starting to back out of the room.

"Dinozzo," Gibbs called. "I'm leaving. You can stay." Gibbs walked out before the senior agent could say anything else. Abby slumped back against the pillows, her exhausted frame too weak from being sick to do anything else.

"Zi, you can't just hide what you're feeling all the time," Tony said gently.

"I am fine," Ziva whispered harshly. "Can you please just leave me alone?" Seeing that there was no reasoning with her, Tony left the room in search of some coffee. Abby's unnaturally blank eyes held some vague worry for her friend.

"Ziva, you don't need to worry about me," Abby said quietly.

"No," Ziva replied, her voice shaking with surpressed emotion, "I do. You're...you're my friend." Abby gave her a watery smile, tears of happiness running down her cheeks. Ziva walked over to the Goth and gently hugged her.

"Thank you," Abby whispered.

**LINE BREAK I DO NOT OWN NCIS LINE BREAK I DO NOT OWN NCIS LINE BREAK I DO NOT OWN NCIS**

_BAM! SLAM!_ Vance sighed. His door was constantly being abused like this. At least the file was safely returned.

"Something is missing here," Gibbs growled. "What I want to know is why!" The last few words were a shout. Silence rung in Vance's ears, a high keening sound much more painful to wait through then Gibbs's moody glare that he had long since grown accoustomed to. Vance decided to play dumb for the moment. The longer he put it off, the better...well, explanation he could come up with on such short notice.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Everything should be there," the Director of NCIS responded calmly. But Gibbs wouldn't be fooled so easily, he knew.

"Don't be stupid," Gibbs snapped, throwing the file into his face. "Take a good look and tell me what you see, or rather, don't see."

"Gibbs, I have a good-"

"I don't want to hear it! Murder was attempted on my forensic specialist, and I want to know why!" Footsteps pounded down the hall. A frazzled Palmer stood in the doorway, panting for air. Ducky appeared beside him.

"We thought we heard raised voices," Ducky said, speaking for his assistant, who was still catching his breath.

"More like an argument," Palmer added a little breathlessly.

"We were having a discussion," Vance said coolly. "If you don't mind, please get out of my office." They both left without another word, clearly not willing to argue over such a seemingly trival matter. Gibbs sighed and glared at the wall, as if it were to blame for the whole situation and not the man in front of him. Vance slowly put the fallen file away, clearly fed up with Gibbs's 'unnecessary overreaction' as he mentally put it. As far as he knew, Abby would get better on her own, so there was no way this was attempted murder, unless something happened to prove him otherwise. He voiced this thought to Gibbs, who merely huffed a sigh and refused to look at him.

"So, now you deny this wasn't a coincidence?" Gibbs said, his tone hinting toward disbelief.

"As shocking as it is, I believe it was merely an accident," Vance insisted. "You can't always be right, Gibbs...Rule 51." The silver haired man flinched, but quickly brushed away the emotion rushing to greet him.

"Nice. Fight fire with fire, will you?" he muttered sarcastically, storming out of the office.

**I am a line break! Whoopee! Too bad my existence is mostly useless...well you can't have it all, right? Nice meeting you by the way, stranger. You really brightened my day. I've only existed for a few seconds and already I feel like I'm worth something! And now you're walking away... :(**

It was nearly noon. Abby's fever had stayed at a steady 100 all day, and she was so doped up on medication that when McGee came to visit her again it was most certainly an interesting time seeing her.

"Hi Timmy," Abby slurred, giving him a sappy lovey-dovey smile. "I love puppies."

"Oh jeez," McGee muttered. Tony turned around in his chair and grinned at him.

"She's been like this for the past hour," Tony said gleefully, clearly enjoying himself. "I can hardly believe how entertaining this is!"

"What's entertaining?" Abby asked, looking around in excitement. "Did Ziva come in here? I heard she's a ninja!" Tony had a hard time stifling his laughter. McGee was unsure of what to say to this, so he decided to remain silent for now.

"See what I mean?" Tony chortled.

"I talked to Ziva earlier," Tim blurted. "She wanted me to tell you that you're wrong, that there's so much more to her than you think." The joking smile melted from his face, leaving behind a resigned understanding.

"I'll go talk to her. Let me know when Abby gets discharged, Probie." As soon as he was gone, McGee refocused on Abby, who was currently humming an unfamiliar song to herself and looking all around the room as if it were the most fascinating place to be at the moment.

"Abs, how you doin'?" Tim asked softly. She grinned at him.

"Guess what?" Oh, this could not be good...

"What?"

"I had the craziest dream that you all were worried about something, and that I was in a hospital! Isn't that insane?" _You're insane,_ Tim thought, but thought it best not to say that out loud.

"Yeah, crazy, right?" It would wear off eventually. How much medication did they pump into her system, anyway?

"And...whoosh I woke up! Guess where I am now?" He was afraid to ask, but did anyway, just to please her drugged mind.

"I'm on a cloud! I couldn't believe it at first because clouds are supposed to be wet, but how else would you explain that I'm two feet off the ground and surrounded by white?" _Oh, I don't know...you could be dreaming, or dead, or..._he really needed to stop having thoughts like this.

"Pretty cool, you're on a cloud," Tim said dully. Abby was being crazier than usual, and that was saying something.

"So, how are you in my cloud, then?" Abby asked. "You aren't floating."

"I decided to come visit you in the sky."

"Really? Ohmigosh! It is about Ziva being a ninja?"

"Actually...yes." It was getting easier to play along, knowing she probably won't remember any of this when the medication wore off.

"Oh, you knew, too? Its cool, right? Like a freaky sort of cool but still really cool?" Her eyes started getting heavy. Abby fought off a yawn. McGee pretended not to notice.

"And you know what else?" Abby asked sleepily. Huh. She was winding down fast. Looks like he didn't have to ask himself if he was crazy by coming here after all.

"What, Abs?"

"I love you...more than puppies."

"I know." Abby yawned again, much longer this time. There was a brief silence. The nurse-McGee had learned her name was Wendy-came into the room and checked Abby's IV.

"Well, it seems someone got a little careless with the medication," Wendy remarked.

"That explains so much." Wendy laughed, just as Abby started to drift off to sleep.

"Alright, I'll just tell the doctor he ought to be more careful next time. We want her to get well, not slip into a coma." McGee's smile faded as he remembered Gibbs in a coma several years ago. The whole idea was still a little touchy to him. Wendy, getting the idea, quckly exited the room so he could be alone. The slight, forgettable girl may be a little out there in some ways, but she wasn't stupid.

"Oh, Abs, what am I going to do with you?" McGee sighed, his head falling into his hands. A few feet away, the love of his life slept on; unaware of his suffering, completely oblivious to the fact of exactly how valuable she was to those that loved her. Or was she? Given her currently impassive face, it was impossible to tell. After a minute, he threw one last glance at her before finally leaving the hospital. There was work to get done, and he had delayed enough already.

Not long after this happened, a figure slipped inside, unnoticed by everyone and everything save for the security cameras sharply taking in all that occurred in the lobby. This camera was very updated; it was more intelligent than the standard camera. It followed the stranger's every move, catologuing even that strange faint glint of a needle coming from a barely concealed pocket.

Five minutes later, a mysterious person discharged the patient Abigail Sciuto under unexplained circumstances. None of this was ever questioned at Bethesda; weirdos came around here all the time, particularly those of Team Gibbs. Unfortunately for said team, they made the fatal assumption that nothing would go wrong. That, actually, nothing _could_ go wrong, or more wrong than they already happened to be right now.

Only one person knew the truth, and he was currently sitting in a basement, drinking bourborn like there was no tomorrow. Because, sometimes, there was no tomorrow for some people.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: I'm planning for this little mystery person to be someone Abby knows that's hurt her in the past. Any ideas? Someone from the show, or perhaps an OC? I am quite talented at writing antagonist OCs, but I just wanted to see what you guys think should happen.**

**Disclaimer: I only happen to own a borrowed copy of **_**Wuthering Heights**_**, this laptop I'm typing on, and the account I have on this site. Not a whole lot but it makes all the difference to me.**

Pain apparently was now a constant theme in Abby's life. So, she was unsurprised upon waking up her every limb throbbing in magnified agony. But the illness was leaving her body. Slowly, but at least that meant things wouldn't get worse. Now, to open her eyes. She sat up and groggily looked around. Stone walls and floor, barred door, no windows. Great. Abby swallowed any hint of fear and mentally measured the size of her prison. It was roughtly the size of a medium sized closet, which, truthfully, was not all that big. And she was chained to the wall, by the looks of things. _Gibbs is going to kill me._ Abby frantically tried to slip her thin wrists out of the chains, but just ended up causing even more unnecessary pain. She sucked in a breath and tried again, just as the door slowly opened. Light flooded in, causing Abby to blink in shock at who was standing before her.

"No..." Abby whispered, her green eyes widening in disbelief. "No! No, no, no, no!" She shrank back against the wall.

"Oh yes," the voice said. Dark laughter filled her ears, causing unpleasent chills to run down her spine. At the same time, Abby had to bite back an expression of disgust, despite the impossible fear causing her weak frame to tremble. _Those eyes. That mouth. Those teeth. Oh, God, no not again! Not ever again! Please, don't-_

She forced the memories away and refused to look at that awful face, simply shoved away the name that went with the voice. Maybe it was just a nightmare. A horrible, too-realistic nightmare that would haunt her for weeks to come.

"What's the matter? Are you not going to give me a proper greeting?"

"Go to hell," Abby muttered. Good, very good. Timmy would want her to be brave. She'd try, just for him. Maybe then, this would all go away. _Yeah, and maybe Gibbs will be nice and let us all have a vacation for once._

"Not nice," the voice disapproved. The sound of someone clucking their tongue. Well, she knew exactly who it was, but Abby refused to remember. Remembering it all would mean it was real.

"I'd prefer if you treated me with respect. After all..." She could smell alcohol now. Abby cringed, all thoughts of bravery fading away with the fresh air. "You never know what might happen."

"Leave me alone," Abby croaked.

"Oh, but its only just begun." Whatever that was supposed to mean.

"What do you want from me?" Her voice came out as a pathetic whimper. Why, oh why did the memories have to paralyze her with such fear? After all, it wasn't like-

"I think we both know the answer to that question." The door swung shut, and Abby was alone once again. Silence rung in her ears, and it was next to impossible to just focus on the present. _Timmy, please come save me...before _it_ happens again. I don't think I can take it a second time._

**LiNeBrEaK lInEbReAk linebreak LINEBREAK LINEbreak lineBREAK LinebreaK lINEBREAk**

"What do you mean, she isn't here?" Gibbs growled.

"Miss Sciuto was discharged over three hours ago." It was difficult for the silver haired fox to keep his emotions in check, but he knew Abby wouldn't like it if the reason he got slowed down was because Leon had to bail him out for murder. Well, she'd probably be frightened, but also half in awe of his dedication of trying to rescue her.

"Who?" Gibbs said finally, pulling himself back to reality.

"I have no idea, but you can take a look at the security tapes if you wish."

"Give me the one showing Abby leaving," Gibbs ordered.

"As you wish, Agent Gibbs." As soon as he was alone, he answered the phone vibrating in his pocket.

"Yeah Gibbs."

"Boss, you have word on Abby?" It was Tim.

"She's gone."

"_What?_ What happened?"

"Don't know. But I'll find out." He snapped the phone shut, effectively ending the conversation. _Don't worry, Abs, we'll find you. One way or another._

**AN: Oh who should the mystery kidnapper be? Someone we know or someone...fresh, unexpected, even?**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: I decided to make the kidnapper interesting by making them a major in Latin. It will be important in the plot later. Translations will be in author's note at the end.**

**abbysciuto900: Calm down. It was just a joke, alright? Seriously. I am so sick of people overreacting over stuff I do. Let me repeat myself. I. Was. Joking. If you hate what I said that much, I'll erase it. Sigh. Okay. I'm done ranting. Next time if you have a problem, PM me instead of wasting what could have been a potentially good review.**

**Edit: By the way, I did erase it. THERE. I hope you are happy.**

**On a lighter note, I so happened to have an NCIS dream where Tony was with Ziva on a plane and he started to get pneumonia for some odd reason. Anyway, I enjoyed the Tiva dream!**

**Disclaimer: As awesome as I am, apparently I wasn't creative enough in my childhood to come up with something as great as NCIS first. Darn.**

Gibbs was boiling with anger hotter than the freshest black coffee. How _dare_ they lay hands on his surrogate daughter? How dare they just up and take her like that! They have no right! Abby was pure, innocent, good-she wouldn't hurt a fly! Why couldn't have been him? He made so many mistakes-not that he was willing to admit them. That Mexico fiasco, forgetting all the people that cared for him, and Kate-no. Just no. He wouldn't think about that now.

"Here you are." He snatched the tape and stormed out of Bethesda. Moments later, it seemed, Gibbs was striding into the familiar bullpen. Ziva looked anxious. Tony was silent. Tim was a combination of them both.

"McGee," Gibbs barked, hiding behind his comfortable wall once more. The tape was slammed down on the agent's desk.

"I need you to take a look at this. Clean it up, do whatever you have to do to have the kidnapper identified. I want results in an hour. I'll come down to meet you in Abby's lab." With that, Gibbs took the stairs, two at a time, to Vance's office. One last visit to make. Gibbs kicked the door, almost smiling at the resulting noise as it fell against the wall with a bang, further deepening the practically permenant dent that must be there. Vance sighed, but said nothing to his cusomary unconventional entrance.

"I. Was. Right," Gibbs ground out through gritted teeth. "Rule three, Vance." Silence. He slammed the door shut, pouring all his anger into that one action. But it wasn't enough. He wanted Vance to squirm, to see the truth.

"Abby's kidnapped and could be _hurt_, all because you simply decided there was no proof of her illness being connected with her trip to Key West."

"Kidnapped?" Vance repeated. Finally he got his attention. Maybe this time he'd actually listen. But instead of explaining further, Gibbs just left the office the same way he had come: angrily and noisily.

**LINE BREAK **

McGee started typing away at the keyboard, trying not to think of all the times he watched Abby's pale fingers, flying across the keys with such confidence and yet-she flaunted her ability like it was nothing, like it meant nothing. But as he approached the approxomite hour of Abby's kidnapping, he wished she was here with him right now, slowly guiding him through the parts he didn't know how to do very well. He shook his head and focused on the screen. People going in and out, in and out. Then...there it was. A person, with a heavily hooded face. According to the stature, he or she could have been somewhere between six foot one and six foot three.

According to the build, the stature, there was no way this was a female. McGee caught a glimpse of a logo on the hoodie. He paused the video and zoomed in. Finally, a clue. The logo said _**RENT**_ along with a list of names on the back of the hoodie. He looked up the names and found they were part of a cast touring in Los Angeles right now.

"What do you got Ab-" For a second, McGee had the sick, impossible hope that she was here. But he only saw Gibbs standing there, trying to cover up his mistake. In that instant, he could read everything the man was feeling.

"Hoodie has a known logo of a musical which is currently on tour in Los Angeles, the names appear coorespondant with the website."

"Anything else?" McGee played the video again. The stranger loped past the lobby table. A glint of something poked out of a pocket. He paused the video and zoomed in even further. The strange object appeared to be a needle of sorts.

"That's our kidnapper."

"Run facial recognition. I'll send Tony to L.A. and Ziva down here to help. Good work A-McGee." Another pang in his chest. _Abby, hang in there, my dark angel. I'll find you. I promise._

**LINEBREAK**

Abby was so thirsty she felt sick. Well, that was a rude awakening. Not that she truly fell asleep...her unconscious hours were filled with nightmares she thought had vanished long ago. They weren't just any nightmares, but the memories she tried so hard to avoid. There was absolute darkness and complete silence. It was as if she didn't exist. Maybe she didn't. But, the door opened, ruining that luxary. As long as _that monster_ happened to be here, existing didn't seem like much of a fun thing to be doing. Death sounded like a relief from the punishment of simply breathing the same air of this...reincarnation of the devil. She wouldn't think of that terrible figure as a person.

"I see you are quieter now." Fittingly, she didn't answer. No point. It was about to begin. Oh, she knew what was to come. Her worst nightmares, to come true, a second time. But a memory flashed through her mind against her will-

"We shall begin." Hands, rough and careless, ripped the hair ties out of Abby's hair with much more force than necessary. She winced, but said nothing.

"I like your hair this way. It makes you more...appetizing." Oh, God. He did not just say that. No, no! She's starting to think of him as a person again! She did it again! Abby shrank back against the wall, more afraid than ever.

"Shall we start with the good stuff, or do you want it to wait until later? I'd like my main...urges satisfied first, if you don't mind." Oh she knew what that meant.

"I'll change you into something more appropriate for the occassion. Don't worry, Abigail. I made sure to keep your Goth interests in mind." Footsteps, then the door closed. Darkness engulfed her once more. A tear slid down her cheek as she thought about the hours ahead. _Don't they care enough to save me? I thought they'd at least know where I am by now._

Being alone in complete silence gave one lots of time to think. What had she done to deserve all this? Abby thought she was good. She bowled with nuns, volunteered anywhere she could, overrworked herself for the tiniest bits of information at worked, and made sure to love everyone. So, why did she have to be punished like this, not only once, but twice? _Why me?_ Another tear, then another. But she recovered quickly, because the footsteps were coming back. She had to show no emotion. Like Ziva. Yes, she had to be strong like Ziva in order to come out of this.

"Get dressed. I want you to look good for me." Something black and lacy was tossed into her hands. The chains were removed for now. She slipped into the all-too revealing lingerie, any sign of emotion vanishing with his presence. Then again, any form of free will was a thing of the past when he was here. Finally, she was dressed. The chains were replaced. The cold metal kept reminding her that this was actually happening.

"Let's dance, angelus obscurus." Abby took several years of Latin, and couldn't help but shudder once she mentally translated the phrase. She tried to let her mind wander elsewhere, but those hands were slipping down where they shouldn't, making it hard to seperate herself from the situation. Rough kisses met her neck, cheek, and lips. She numbly responded, for that was what she must do. There was no choice here. She remembered the punishment for fighting back...

"Yes, I want you to tremble." His breath was warm against her ear. "I see you remember the routine." How could she ever forget? The torture went on for what felt like hours, days, years even, she was never able to tell. But, finally, he pulled away, satisfied for now.

"You are as soft and weak as I remember." The words came out harsh and revobenated against the walls. A name on the tip of her tongue. She knew his name. She'd have to put a name to this face and voice eventually.

"Well, that shall be fixed eventually," he continued. "But for now, just enjoy the only meal you'll be allowed to have here." A bowl of something was set down in front of her. He left the prison. Alone again. Was that better, or worse? It was hard to determine. For once she was glad that the chains were long. She was able to reach the soup bowl. Tomato soup, by the flavor of it. She finished it off and sighed. Hopes of rescue flitted through her mind, but were quickly shot down by throbs of pain down below. That must be from earlier, she thought absently, as if the torture had meant nothing. In a way, it had, because there were still worse things to experience. Unfortunately, that was the truth of it all. _Surely my absence would at least have been noticed by now...is anyone even looking for me? Or do they somehow know what was done to me, and just want me out of the way? I wouldn't blame them, especially Ziva. She can be so-no! They're going to rescue me! I know they are! _But the longer she was here, the longer she had to think about who's "angelus obsurus" she was.

**AN:**

**Translation- angelus obscurus translates to "dark angel" in case you could not tell from my forshadowing with using the same phrase in English earlier in the chapter. Rewiew, and let me know what you think of the villian so far now that you know the gender. You will learn more about him later and the significance of that hoodie that McGee spotted. Everything has a connection. Even Key West.**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Poor Abby...too bad things had only just got started for her. Any guesses as to how she's connected to the mysterious man? Oh, it isn't a pretty story.**

**By the way, this chapter kind of jumps around a lot so let me know if it gets too confusing for you.**

**Disclaimer: I happen to own a keyboard, but not this show. Hey, Bellisarius, could we trade please?**

"What are you doing in my lab?" a cool voice asked. It seemed Jewel had arrived late again. Tim ignored her and walked out without saying a word. She didn't care about Abby all that much and she made it known to everyone. That was one of many reasons nobody liked her. But she got the job done, and that was all she was needed for here anyway.

"Right, just ignore me!" Jewel shouted after him. "I guess I'm not all that important to Agent Gibbs's team!"

"Yes, you are," Tim muttered as he headed for the elevator. "But you aren't Abby." With a pang, he thought of the love of his life, lost or trapped somewhere dark and cramped possibly. He sure hoped she was alright, unharmed, or alive at the very least. _I never break a promise, you know that. Whatever you're thinking, please don't give up hope!_

**LINE BREAK!**

"California Gurls! We're undeniable!" Tony belted out. Ziva did her best to ignore him, as she had for the past hour, but he was getting more annoying by the minute.

"Shut. Up." Ziva growled, but suddenly the breath was knocked out of her as they got off the plane and stepped into the airport. Deja vu...

"Zi?" She ignored him, flashes of memories running through her mind at a million miles a second.

"We haven't been here since-you know...the Director-" She choked on the last word. Tony squeezed her shoulders. Ziva let out a shuddering sigh and looked around the airport.

"It's okay."

"Let's just do what Gibbs asked us. Where is that studio McGee mentioned?"

**Line break!**

No. Make it stop. The name wouldn't leave her mind. Just thinking of him caused her to curl inside herself. Memories so awful that she wanted to throw up-but all she could do was bend over and dry heave because her stomach was already empty. Her breath came out in desperate gasps. All hopes of escape had long since faded. _After all, why would they try to rescue someone like me if they didn't even miss me?_ She was sure of it. But another part of her mind insisted Gibbs and the others were out of their minds trying to rescue her. It was a lie. Nobody could love the broken dark angel. Not only broken once, but twice over. The difference? They'd be able to see it now.

How could they not see every smile, every smirk of amusement, was a complete lie? How could they be all so ignorant? She'd hidden the pain so well that she nearly forgot it, but in the back of her mind, and her nightmares, it would always remain. They never knew the true reason she gulped down Caf-Pow! like there was no tomorrow. It was just part of her 'quirks' they learned to accept. _Why don't you see I've been ruined and ravaged?_ she wanted to scream at Gibbs, who she thought could see all. But, no, he was just as blind as the rest of them.

Solitude. She never realized before how much she depended on human contact to keep her fragile emotions in check. But, breaking down was something better than bottling it all up as she was doing now. What was the point of letting loose all those tears if there was no one to hear her cries? What use was it to shout about her troubles, if nobody was there to just sit there and listen? Why should she, of all things, look anyone in the eye, if they never saw her for who she was, and the dark demon that had swarmed in her mind constantly without rest?

Hours must have passed. Time certainly had no meaning anymore, in every respect. What use would it be to know the time if she didn't know when rescue would come, if at all? The door opened. She hated the light. It meant pain. And indeed, H...oh, she was fooled for a moment. She almost thought his name. But she wouldn't. Not now, not ever.

He did not deserve a name. She heard the chains click, and found she was able to stand up. She wobbled, weak from the illness and leack of nourishment. Those rough hands wrapped a black cloth around her head where her eyes were. Blackness once more. Abby did not mind. The darkness was safe. It meant none of this was real. Nothing was real. It was just a dream. She'd wake up in time.

"Let my hand guide you to the special treatment room..." 'H' said. She knew what that meant. Knives, pokers, dentist equipment, items normally used for sugery-you name it, he had it for sure. Old scars, remembered...Abby remembered all too well. She wished she could slip into a coma like Gibbs and have her mind permenantly erased, especially of that day in Key West-wait, what did happen that day? The more she thought about it, the fuzzier her memory got. She was there, her cousin, he was there too.

A machine, some shouts from somebody unknown. Some insects being sudied had escaped and were attacking the workers. One of them bit her, but they said there was nothing to worry about. The machine got fixed and she went home. Everything she told Vance was true. She hid nothing that had happened. But what did _he_ have to do about it? What ever 'H' had to do with anything she didn't have long to think about, for right then she felt herself being strapped to a cold, metal table. The blindfold was swiftly removed. It didn't usually happen this early.

"Now, let's get started..." _I won't scream...I won't scream..._Abby thought faintly as the first weapon-a device used for counting teeth-pierced her flesh.

**LINEBREAK**

Jewel blankly gazed at the screen before her. This was taking too long! She wanted to see her broken! But then she saw what was really happening and sighed in relief. Alright. Baby steps. Her boss wanted this subject drawn out.

"Jewel, what are you doing?" She closed out the window and faced the source of the noise. A young man with light brown hair stood there, dressed in a doctor's outfit. The man adjusted his spectacles and blinked.

"Who are you?" Her eyes narrowed at the stranger. He was cute...if she knew him well, she'd actually ask him out.

"I'm Jimmy, Dr. Mallard's assistant, remember?" Jewel resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course. That nervous kid, always agreeing with anyone with the power to punch his lights out- so that was pretty much everyone.

"Right. Whatever. What do you want?" Occassionally she revereted back to her teenage, snaky self from high school but that was only when she was hiding something.

"I...well, I know we don't know each other all that well-" Jimmy stammered.

"Yes?" _He wouldn't be so bad of a guy to go on a date with. Maybe I can use it as a distraction from all the other stuff I have to do undercover..._

"Willyougooutwithme?" Jimmy asked in a rush.

"Oh, how sweet of you to ask!" Jewel said. "I accept your kind offer, Jimmy." It was the first time in a long while she actually addressed anyone by name. It felt nice, like she was giving herself a personality again. But, of course, that sort of thing wasn't allowed. Maybe it would be yet another secret she'd keep. It'd be worth the trouble.

**Line Break**

"So you want a record of who's been by the store in our last show?" the techie asked.

"Yes," Ziva said.

"Well, the last show was two weeks ago...you'll have to speak with the vendor about it."

"Alright, thank you," Tony said. They both went off to the little stall selling _**RENT**_ hoodies, T-shirts, and other merchandise relating to the 1980s hit musical.

"So, what do you think this has to do with Key West?" Tony asked as they approached the vendor taking inventory. There was to be a show tonight in the theater and everything had to be in order.

"Everything," Ziva replied simply. "Now, am I to ask him the questions or are you going to contribute something this time?" Tony grinned at her.

"Why would I miss an opportunity to outshine the Probie?" She punched him on the arm.

**LINEBREAK!**

The pain...make that someone else's pain. Those screams. Surely they came from someone else's mouth, ripped apart a different throat from the inside. These tears could not be hers. _Not real. Not real. If it's just a nightmare, then why won't I wake up? If I'm supposed to be dreaming, then why does it feel so real? If I'm supposed to be rescued, then why am I still here?_

Blood stained her clothes. The fever long since faded, the aches in her bones ebbing away more so than earlier. The hospital felt like a lifetime ago. It might as well have been. Abby sighed, feeling the pain in her throat from all the screaming. Sure, she was in pain, but it would fade. Unfortunately, the emotional part was soon to come. This was the part she had been dreading for hours. This was what caused her to question everything: her life, the ones she loved, even herself.

As of now, she was back in the closet sized stone prison, chained to the wall. How long had she been held here against her will? Seven, eight hours, maybe? Although she did not have a watch, Abby had a sort of internal clock that could mentally estimate the seconds. She was usually right within an hour or two, depending on how much lost time there was. Since there was no hope of being rescued, she'd have to find hope in something else. Not that things would get better, or not get worse, but maybe, for now they would stay the same so she'd keep some shred of her sanity.

But memories were returning, making things so much worse than they should be at the moment. The name had almost floated to her consciousness three times now. If she wasn't careful, she'd remember who this monster was entirely. Then there'd be no escaping from this hellish nightmare. There was no waking up; no person to hold her as she cried in their arms, nobody to hug, no human being on the entire planet she could love or could love her. Abby was truly alone. And that was an even heavier sensation than the darkness threatening to suffocate her.

She hung her head and let herself drift off, knowing sleep wouldn't make a difference, but at the same time hoping her dreams/nightmares would be a whole lot better than reality. That didn't really help, but it was the only hope she had in the world, so what choice did she have? It was human nature to find a way to survive; and this was her way. No matter how hard she tried, the pain was too much to allow anything in the way of sleeping. Thinking meant her mind would wander, which meant memories too horrible to even think about recounting would surface at last. So, she sank into a wonderful daydream she hoped would come true some day. In the 'dream' she was back at NCIS, happily doing her job as always...

_"Timmy!" Abby exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought Gibbs sent you out to do something."_

_"I came back." There was a small secretive smile on his face. What was he hiding?_

_"Well...what are you doing here?" Abby repeated. Her hand flew to her mouth as Tim got down on one knee._

_"Abby, will you marry me?"_

The daydream would only get better from there. She closed her eyes and smiled, imagining her own reaction to such a question.

_"I...wha...well-" she spluttered, shocked at the question and how spontaneous it all was. "Y-yes, of course I'll marry you." Tim slid the ring onto her finger. She gazed at the simple diamond with adoration._

Hmm. What would happen next? Ah, yes of course. Why didn't she think of it? This was her fanasty life, after all.

_"Can't believe the Probie's getting married and I'm not!" Tony whined when he had recieved the news. Ziva congradulated Abby, and so had Ducky and Palmer. They gathered in the bullpen and started discussing wedding plans together. Gibbs exited the elevator, looking a little confused at the excited group._

_"What happened, McGee?" he said, turning to the first person he could find._

_"Abby and I are getting married, boss," Tim announced solomnely, but it was clear that he was happy about it._

_"Conference room, now." Abby smiled at all the attention she was getting, the conversation between Gibbs and McGee only a background noise._

_"Wow, I wonder what sort of wedding Timmy would like," Abby wondered out loud._

_"It does not matter," Ziva said. "From what I've heard, it is supposed to be the bride's wedding, so it is about what you want." Abby couldn't help but grin at this new information. Boy could she use that to her advantage._

Abby almost smiled for real, thinking of hypothetical wedding plans, and later, a honey moon. She'd heard so many thing about what went on in Paris for first Jenny and Gibbs, then later Tony and Ziva. So that was where they'd have the honeymoon. They'd see the Eiffel Tower and eat snails. She never had snails before, but that just made the prospect all the more exciting. As for the wedding, it would be something simple, but unforgettable. More and more details swirled through her mind. She could practically taste the creamy icing on her lips, see Tim's smile as she shoved a slice of cake in his face, hear their mingling laughter as the flash of a camera went off...

_'One more picture!' Abby's mother signed eagerly, motioning for Abby and Tim to get closer together. In a heated moment of passion, Tim wiped off a stray smear of icing off her cheek. Abby and her new husband stared at one another. Then as the camera flashed, their lips met. It only lasted a few seconds, but the moment was captured on camera for life._

_"I love you," Tim said, his voice ringing with pure joy. He had never been so happy in his life. And niether had she._

It most certainly was the most perfect happily ever after one could ask for. Maybe, if she wished hard enough, this dream would come true. When she had fallen asleep she never knew. All she knew what that one moment she was picturing McGee with a faceful of cake, and the next...somewhere dark and cold. Oh no. Abby was trying to prevent this from happening. But there was no going back now. She walked forward, hoping this featureless place would provide some clues. Alas, there was only nothing, nothing...it was just pure blackness.

"Where am I?" Abby called. Her voice sounded strange and hollow. She realized she'd barely spoken since she woke up in that room. Silence. Of course. Then Gibbs appeared, seemingly out of nowhere like he tends to do a lot.

"Gibbs! What are you doing here?"

"I came to tell you that everything you knew has been a lie." Bossman say wha?

**AN: Alright, that was way longer than my usual. So, what did you think? We are getting closer to finding out who this guy is but not just yet. The dream thing Abby is having is important for later. It seems Jewel has complicated loyalties, no?**

**Reviews are love! That is common knowledge nowadays. So, act on it please! Hey, that rhymed! I'm a poet and I didn't know it! Okay...maybe I should stop before this gets out of hand.**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: GAH! *starts beating head against wall***

**Tony: DUDE, what's wrong?**

**Me: First of all, I'm not a dude. Second, what are you doing here? Thirdly, LIFE is what's wrong!**

**Tony: Um...can't do anything about the first two but you wanna talk about it?**

**Me: *grumbling* Stupid...guidance councelor...monthly cycles...everyone hates me...*grumblegrumblegrumble***

**Tony: I can't exactly help you with that.**

**Me: SHUT UP! Why can't Abby be here?**

**Tony: Um, you sorta made her in a hostage situation.**

**Me: Aren't you supposed to be in L.A.?**

**Tony: SHIT! *runs back into my story***

**Me: I do apologize for his language to those innocent ears...er...eyes out there. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes these guys are my only friends. Sad but true.**

**Ziva: Why is Abby going catatonic? She's rocking back and forth and mumbling gibberish about pickles. Oh and she isn't awake, either.**

**Me: Oh. Crap. Just keep trying. I think it MAY have had something to do with that typo. Wait, pickles?**

**Ziva: Gibbs is building a crib, yes?**

**Me: But Abby's not pregnant!**

**Ziva: Are you sure about that?**

**Me: ...I really wish I owned you guys!**

**Ziva: Was that so hard to say? *smirks then runs off after wimpy Tony***

**Tim: Um...hello? What about Abby?**

**Me: Oh! Right! *goes to help***

**Gibbs: Where's my coffee? *everyone looks at him***

**Me: Tim, if you want to live, I suggest running and changing your identity seven times then faking your own death and coming back six years later.**

**Tim: Why?**

**Me: He knows.**

**Tim: OH SHIT! *runs away from Gibbs's stare***

**Me: Really? Again? By the way...that whole business with the crib. I'm not giving you any hints. Sorry. I'm not even confirming/denying whether Abby is pregnant or not. It has to do with my ending.**

**Something I've noticed. A lot of good stories I read have over 100 reviews, easy. Then I look at mine and get all sad. Don't get me wrong I know a lot of you guys love this story. It's just...sigh nevermind.**

"Did someone who looks like this purchase anything from your wares?" Tony asked briskly, holding up a photograph.

"Um...maybe?" the vendor replied. "Show me the face. I never forget a face."

"We ran facial recognition, from what we could get and came up with a man named Hendrick "Hades" Davidson from Cleaveland, Ohio."

"Oh, that guy! Yeah, he's some sadist creep something or other." Tony held up the photo which showed a man with a pale complexion, unshaved face, and a sort of hungry look in his pale blue eyes.

"What do you know about him?" Ziva jumped in as Tony replaced the photo in his coat pocket.

"Biggest creep if you ever seen one!" the vendor exclaimed. Tony caught a glimpse of the nametag. Steve.

"Well, Steve, we know that," the senior agent put in coolly. "Now, before I have Agent David over here tear your eyes out, I suggest you be a little more specific with your 411, so we won't have to call 911." The large man gulped and paled slightly.

"Why do you need this information anyway?"

"We think our forensic specialist Abigail Sciuto may have been kidnapped by him," Ziva supplied, showing him a recent picture of Abby.

"Damn, she's hot," Steve commented. Ziva glared at him and retracted the photo so he couldn't see it anymore.

"You going to tell us anything or what?" Tony snapped. Steve sighed and looked around.

"Could we go somewhere more private? I don't want any possible...eavesdroppers think I'm getting the wrong idea."

"Right this way," Ziva said. She and Tony walked off to a secluded part of the theater. Before Steve followed, he pulled out his cell phone and began to dial.

"Jewel, disable the cameras," he ordered sharply. "I'm being questioned and I can't have them know you're involved too. I don't care about what happens to me! I was going to end up in the nuthouse eventually, you know that! Mom said-shut up and listen to me for once in your life! Mom said this might happen to me, so stop crying. You know emotion makes you weak and pathetic. Tell Dad I love him, okay? Love you." He hung up and went to follow the two agents.

**Line break**

"Jethro, what is going on?" Ducky asked. "I have tried to visit Abigail at the hospital and they said she was discharged." Gibbs sighed and put his head in his hands. What was there to do? He hoped worried and worried again.

"I also am aware that you are building some sort of crib." Gibbs glared at him. That was supposed to be secret.

"What are you hiding from me, your good friend?"

"Crib's unimportant right now, Duck," Gibbs told him simply. That much was the truth. He actually hadn't thought about it since the night Abby visited his basement.

"Then what is?" Ducky asked, growing impatient.

"Abby's missing." The ME was silent for a moment as he processed this news.

"Any leads?"

"Some guy in a RENT hoodie. I sent Dinozzo and David out there to check it out."

"Out where?"

"L.A." Ducky made a choked sort of noise in his throat.

"Ducky?"

"It's nothing," he lied. "I must go see if Jimmy needs help..." That was when Gibbs knew something was wrong. Ducky never called Palmer by his first name. Why did he have such a problem with L.A. anyway? The only time thy got involved with L.A. at all was when he sent Tony and Ziva to protect J-oh God. It was coming back to him. Gibbs's eyes widened.

"Jen..." Oh jeez. He hadn't said that name in so long. It felt so good, yet was so painful. He ran to the elevator and punched the autopsy button with much more force than was necessary.

**line break...I wish I could get more creative with this...**

Vance sighed and stared at the door, half expecting Gibbs to come storming in here, angry about something relating to the case. But nothing happened. So, he resumed packing his things. They hadn't gotten much of anywhere today, which was of no surprise, really. But that didn't mean he liked it. Despite his tough exterior, Vance cared about his team, just not in the way people would see. The door opened gently.

"Goin' home, Leon?"

"This case is driving me nuts," Vance admitted. "SeNav's being all-"

"I know," Gibbs said.

"I don't know what his problem is...I tried explaining that there would have been no preventing from Abby going to Key West when she did. What's done is done."

"I think the kidnapper had something to do with the Key West incident. Track down Abby's cousin, see if he saw anything strange there when he sent for Abby to fix whatever the hell it was that happened to be broken that day."

**Um. Okay. Three...two...one...ACTION!**

"A...lie?" Abby repeated in a small voice. Surely it was only a dream, wasn't it? Suddenly she wasn't so certain anymore.

"Yes. Everything, from our friendliness to the family knit we shared, Gibbs said coldly. His eyes were blank and unreadable. This was more than just hard to process...she refused to accept it.

"No! It can't be true!" Abby cried out. But she remembered Tony teasing Tim, Ziva slapping her, Gibbs's cold stare and Vance's tyranny, and wondered if she had thought wrong all of these years.

"Oh but it is."

"How?" she exclaimed, fighting the tears that stung her eyes.

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"Wake up! I didn't ask you to have hallucinating dreams yet!" Abby's eyes snapped open. Oh, thank God it was just a dream. But the second she recognized the face glaring down at her she suddenly wished that shout hadn't woken her up so quickly. _God, why was she always so pathetic and weak with all these...emotions getting in the way all the time?_

A name flashed in her mind. Hades. That was someone's nickname, wasn't it...? She gazed blankly at the man before her.

"Answer me!" Hades shrieked, slapping her very hard across the face. No. No...it was all too real now. And there was nothing she could do about it.

"S-Sorry," Abby hissed, biting back a moan of pain on top of the rest of her suffering. "What do you want with me now?"

"I have more urges. You still look appetizing. How I wish I could eat you up. I guess I'll stick to using you as my tool." The worst part of it all was the blunt way he said. it. Like she wasn't a person. Like she didn't exist for anything more to be his slave. Abby fought off the tears threatening to spill over as he ravaged her body for a second time.

**AN: This...is making me so sad to write and look over. And if it makes ME sad, that's when I know I succeded, because the right amount of emotion was displayed. Review, please, before I have a mental breakdown and end this story too soon.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Me: I FOUND MY HEADPHONES!**

**Tony: I FOUND MY PENCIL!**

**McGee: I FOUND A SUSPECT!**

**Abby: I LIKE SHOUTING! *grins***

**Gibbs: SHUT UP!**

**all- *silence***

**Me: For once I'm glad I don't own you guys...jeez my eardrums hurt! Why were all of you shouting anyway?**

**Tony: You star-**

**Me: I don't wanna hear it!**

**Tony: What has you all in a funk? Besides your PMSing?**

**Me: NOTHING GO AWAY TONY!**

**AN: Notice how Abby isn't the only one afraid of saying his name...wonder why that is. I know what the answer is, hah. Warning. This chapter might not have as much Abby in it, but there is a lot of information revealed here so it's important that you don't just skip down to see whatever else Abby happens to 'remember' about her kidnapper, because that's not all what this story is about. It's only a part of it. POSSOIBLE UNNPLANNED TIVA MOMENTS AHEAD!**

"Tony, I think we should spend the night in a hotel," Ziva said unexpectedly as Steve came to join them. Tony didn't have time to respond, for at that moment Steve drew up three chairs from the broom closet for them to sit on.

"Alright, I guess the best place to start would be the beginning," Steve said as they all sat down. "You see, Hendrick came up with the name Hades because he had a strange fascination with all the pain and punishment he inflicted. I grew up next door to him, back in Ohio. I remember him being the weird quiet kid scrawling in a notebook in a secluded corner of the playground. One day, a teacher came up to him to read something he wrote. She was horrified by everything in there, and threw it out. She sent him to counceling. A few days later, the teacher vanished, never to be heard from again. Hades begame a little more cheerful. That was fourth grade."

"And that hoodie?" Ziva asked. "What does that signify?"

"Hades always had this thing of hiding himself anyway he could when out in the open, in the hopes of not getting noticed."

"You say you became good friends with him," Tony observed. "Does that mean he confided in you about everything?"

"Yeah, of course!" Steve replied. "He'd spout whatever crap he was dealing with at home and I'd listen. 'Course that didn't really solve anything...he always had to hurt someone to feel better."

"Did he ever mention going to Florida for something?" Steve frowned, thinking the question over for a moment.

"Oh, I believe at one point he and I were in a chatroom and had a conversation about some girl that broke his heart he was planning revenge on...I didn't think he'd take it seriously, but just in case I had someone sent your way to watch over everyone because I heard him mention NCIS."

"Who is this person?" Ziva inquired.

"Jewel Manchester." The two agents exchanged a glance.

"What?" Steve said. "There a problem, Agent David and Agent...sorry, didn't catch your name."

"Dinozzo," Tony supplied. "Jewel so happens to be Abby's replacement back at NCIS."

"So, you two are NCIS agents?" Steve asked, grinning at them. Neither of them smiled back. He grew serious once more, realizing the gravity of the situation. Then a look of recognition crossed his face.

"Oh! Abby! That was the girl Hades mention in our chat."

"We'd like a printout of the whole chat, complete with sign in and sign out times and IEP addresses," Tony said. Ziva called Gibbs to tell him what they discovered. After filling him in, she stepped off to the side, still on the phone with him.

"Was there something else you wanted to say, Ziver?"

"Yes. Is it almost finished?"

"Don't worry. I'm working on it now."

"Okay, good. Are you sure no one else knows?"

"Would I betray you?"

"I suppose not...I am leaving next week, cover for me please. Tony can't know yet."

"Promise is a promise, Ziva." He had a point there. Tony walked over, holding a stack of stapeled papers. Steve was gone already.

"I have to go, Gibbs. Thank you." She hung up.

"What did Gibbs do?" Tony asked. Ziva thought quickly.

"I was thanking him for helping me with another idiom I messed up," she replied smoothly, trying to keep her face natural. Tony shrugged and started to search for an exit.

"So, about that hotel you mentioned..."

"We are staying in that Holiday Inn I saw earlier. I checked us in and dropped off our luggage there while you were flirting with some girl." They finally stumbled out into the fading daylight. In D.C. it was probably getting close to ten o'clock.

"There it is," Tony said, pointing up ahead. Ziva nodded and followed him into the small hotel. They ignored the receptionist at the front answering a call from a potential customer and went straight into the elevator.

"What floor?" Tony asked. Ziva reached over him and pressed a button. Her hand brushed his. Tony felt goosebumps rising on his skin where she touched him. The elevator ride to the third floor was short and silent.

That evening, after ordering room service and fighting over what channel to watch, Ziva and Tony settled down for the night. Tony called McGee and told him of their progress so far while Ziva settled in with a good book. Suddenly, Ziva slammed the book shut and sighed. Tony glanced at her but didn't hang up just yet.

"Nothing, Probie, Ziva appears to be in a mood...not sure what I did wrong, though." Ziva glared at him, sending silent threats his way.

"I'll call you back." He snapped his phone shut.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Tony. I am just tired, and this investigation has me worried. I am going to sleep." He shrugged, deciding to let it go for now. He knew Ziva wasn't the type to willingly open up, even after all the years they worked together. She lay there in bed staring at the celing for some time before going into the bathroom to change. Tony slipped off his shirt and just decided to sleep in what he was wearing for now. After all, they were only going to be here for one night. As he listlessly flipped through an old motercycle magazine someone left behind, he thought that he heard someone quietly sobbing in the bathroom. Tony, thinking it was his imagination, simply kept reading the article about the winner of a motorcross race from 2006. The crying was a little louder now. Yup, Ziva was definitely crying. He tossed the magazine aside and opened the bathroom door to find Ziva slumped over, sobbing into her hands. He sat down beside her and pulled her toward himself.

"Hey," he said softly, "it's okay..."

"No," Ziva croaked. "Abby doesn't deserve this." Tony rarely saw Ziva cry, so he knew this must be really effecting her. But she went through worse than this without shedding a tear. How strange. He didn't think anything of it, though.

"You aren't usually this emotional," Tony observed, stroking her hair back from her face. "Is there something else going on you aren't telling me about?" She shook her head rapidly and wiped her tears.

"I'm just going to bed," Ziva muttered, leaving Tony alone on the bathroom floor in complete confusion.

**Line break**

"Jewel...I don't know what came over me...I'm engaged for God's sake!" Jimmy buried his head in shame, his cheeks flaming with humiliation.

"It is fine," Jewel replied listlessly. She was used to this part. The rejection. The heartache. The more it happened, the more it hurt, but she was getting better at hiding it. Michelle Lee gave her a murderous glare.

"You. Out. Now!" the woman growled. Jewel was given a hard shove. She went back to NCIS to find a very angry Gibbs in the lab.

"Hello, Agent Gibbs," she said in a monotone. "I'm sorry to be gone for so long-"

"What is the meaning of this?" He pointed at the screen, which showed the room where Abby got tortured.

"I...well..." This day just kept getting better.

"Tell me!" Gibbs shouted.

"G-Gibbs, I was ordered to keep an eye on Abby's location-"

"Name."

"Steve, my brother."

"Where is that?" He pointed.

"I don't know, I was just told to keep an eye on things to make sure she wasn't killed!"

"You don't like Abby. What makes you think I believe that you care about what happens to her?"

"Because I don't have a choice!" Jewel shrieked, her personality coming to life for good. "You think I like worrying, every single day, if he's going to suddenly lash out and kill the ones I love for his entertainment? He's a pure psycho sadist from what Steve told me! And he-he..." She broke down into sobs.

"He what?" Gibbs asked, knowing she didn't mean Steve.

"He killed my husband!" she cried out, giving into all the emotion. She collapsed into the rolling chair and sobbed into her hands. Gibbs's eyes softened. He knew how that felt, more than most people would know. He stood there for a moment, wondering if the replacement should be brought in for questioning or comforted. If he were Vance, he'd probably choose the first, no questions asked. But this woman seemed to have suffered so much more than he realized. That emotionless mask was put there for a reason. He carefully approached Jewel, wondering how to make her feel better. This was so much more different than with Abby, who he knew a lot better than this practical stranger before him. Gibbs settled with rubbing her shoulders, something he knew always calmed Shannon down when she was upset. After a while, Jewel calmed down and just sat there.

"Thank you," she sniffled. "Who knew you actually cared about those that worked for you?"

"There's a lot you don't know about me," Gibbs said. How true that statement was.

**Line break**

"As punishment for your defiance, I am going to test your underwater endurance. I hope you don't mind getting a little wet." Abby stared blankly at him. Any thoughts of emotion were brief and hard to detect in her now dull green eyes. Earlier, when he came in to bring her to the torture room again, she spit in his eye. Now she was being punished for fighting back. He poked a hole in the tank he put in the room and slammed the door shut. For a minute, nothing happened. Then, water started dripping down onto the floor. It was only then that Abby realized he was going to drown her to the point of near death. She tried to feel afraid, but it just took too much energy to try and feel anything at all. So she didn't. Any emotion that threatened to bubble to the surface was shoved aside like it meant nothing, because it acually didn't mean anything. More water dripped onto the stone. There was a large puddle now. She stared at it, trying to form shapes out of the water. Suddenly, Kate appeared before her, looking as she did the day she died.

"Abby," Kate said. "You are going to die in here if you don't do something." Even the novelty of seeing her dead friend didn't cause a reaction. She just stared at the fresh hallucination, wondering if she was going crazy. Water all over the place. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't burning hot either.

"You told me to come when I was needed, so I did. Why won't you fight back?" Abby couldn't speak, or wouldn't. The words got caught in her throat. The tears that should have come didn't. Her eyes begged to be left alone, yet at the same time screamed of loneliness. It was a sight to be seen.

"I see you are giving up hope, something you should never do," Kate said. "There is nothing more to be done here. Goodbye, Abby." She vanished. Abby weakly tugged on the chain. Again she tried to slip out of the chains, and was able to free her left hand from the iron prison, then her right. But that was all. Her energy was gone. So, she let go, surrounded by water slowly rising.

**Line break**

Tony was hoping to sleep until noon, wake up, find Ziva returning from her morning jog, and tease her about something. All that went down the drain when he woke up to the sound of someone retching in the bathroom. _Huh? Since when was Ziva sick?_ Tony thought numbly, thinking about going back to sleep. He remembered Ziva thanking Gibbs for something, which he also found strange. Ziva also hardly ever got emotional like she did last night. Not able to come up with a proper connection other than stress from the case, he rolled over and went back to sleep.

Eventually, Ziva crawled back into bed, feeling absolutely miserable. Perhaps a morning run wasn't such a good idea right now. She'd wait till later. There would probably still be time. Tony pulled her close, still half awake. The second he made contact with her, she forgot about her issues.

"Something wrong?" Tony asked, suddenly unable to go to sleep.

"I just don't feel well," Ziva said. "I am going to stay in bed right now." That was strange...Ziva never admitted things like that.

"Okay," Tony said. "I'm going to get a shower. Let me know if you need anything." In the bathroom, he dialed Gibbs's number.

"Yeah, Gibbs."

"Boss, something is going on with Ziva."

**AN: Okay. Is anyone making connections with my little sub-plots so far? First to guess everything right gets a HUMUNGO Caf-Poe! Virtual, of course since they don't actually exist.**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Quick shoutout to abbysciuto900 on her cleverness. Yes, you are right! It is only a matter of time before Tony finds out! I shall dedicate this chapter to you due to a conversation we had the other day...what you told me still makes me feel a little sad. So, a combination of that, plus more inpiration from Evanescence(I shall forever be in awe of their talent) and my wonderful imagination shall spin this chapter together. Oh and sorry for the long PM. I was half explaining stuff, half trying to figure out my story and where it was going next.**

**Tony: Jesus, do you ever shut up?**

**Me: I am not Jesus. I believe you just broke a Commandment.**

**Tony: ...**

**Tony: Which one?**

**Me: Go away. No one invited you. Go...comfort Ziva or something. She's puking her guts out again and you are supposed to find out why.**

**Tony: She's sick, you dummy.**

**Me: (That's what you think, smartass ^.^)**

**Abby: Umm why is the water turning into Jello?**

**Me: OH CRAP! *goes to fix typos***

**Tim: *snickers***

**Tony: *headslaps***

**Ziva: I do not like this at all.**

**Tony: Oh suck it up it's just the stomach bug.**

**Ziva: ...**

**Tony: ...**

**Tim: ...WHY WON'T SOMEBODY SAY SOMETHING?**

**Me: Ugh...Bellisarius, could you get these guys under control please? I'm sick of having to babysit them.**

**Abby: Was that the disclaimer.**

**Me: Shh, I own you for now right? You're in my house.**

**Abby: YAY we can to-ta-lly have a sleep over and share secrets and plan Tony and Ziva's wedding cause you know they're gonna get married sometime, right? And we could also stay up late and watch movies while making fun at how bad all the plots are while secretly loving it the whole time like those weirdo fangirls out there! I know! We can watch something like The Roommate! Tony said that was a great movie! It will be lots of fun! Then we can...go shopping. Why didn't I think of that before? I swear, ususally that comes up a whole lot sooner on my list. Maybe it's because-**

**Me: Abby. Stop, please. My ears are bleeding and you are running out of oxygen.**

**Abby: 110 words. My record! Yay! *starts skipping around the room***

**Me: My bedroom isn't all that large you know. How many Caf-Pows! did you drink today by the way? Your lips are stained red.**

**Abby: Um...eleven, twelve...I lost count after fifteen.**

**Me: Oh dear God.**

Water...it was filling her lungs, causing her to silently choke and lose...something. Yes, she was losing air. Very fast now. The harder she tried to breathe the faster the blackness swam in her vision. And, all at once, it was over, and someone was pumping life back into her soul. Not the life she wanted, but a poisoned, darkened version of what she used to be was now rearing its head. That was whens she knew there was no way out of it. She had to accept the pain, not fight it. So, as time passed, she silently shrieked as he ravaged, tortured, and pushed her body to its absolute limits.

Days could have passed, or maybe only seconds. All she knew was that this was never going to end. She would be trapped in permenant darkness. It was worse than being blind, because at least then you had other senses to overcome the weakness. Emotionally speaking, she was dead. Dead...gone forever. The pain raged on and on...ceaseless, merciless. That was around the time the voices started.

_**"How could I ever have loved you?"**_ Tim.

_**"I was her replacement, don't you get it? Oh how blind you are to everything!" **_Ziva.

_**"Sister? Yeah right! You're too...childish to be anything more than someone to laugh at!" **_Tony.

_**"What makes you think we had any sort of connection?" **_Gibbs.

_**"Go...just go! I dont' want to look at you."**_ Jimmy.

_**"No more stories for you. I don't believe you deserve them." **_Ducky.

Each rejection hurt more than the last, but still the tears wouldn't fall. Each time she woke up, she drifted a little further away. It was like she was losing herself in the process of hanging on. So, in that moment, hanging on no longer mattered. The darkness enveloped her mind for good, erasing any evidence of what was once Abby Sciuto.

**Line break**

A week had passed with no luck. Ziva became withdrawn, moody, and strange. Gibbs hadn't told Tony a thing about what was going on with her. So, he watched in silence, slowly putting the pieces together. The mornings were filled with nothing but Ziva making frequent trips to the restroom, looking a sickly pale green that was not becoming on her normally attractive features. Afternoons, she'd grow extremely moody, alternating between demanding and rejecting the presence of anyone near her. All the while she continually glanced at Tony like this was _his_ fault, like he had caused her to become this way.

All of this was only on the sidelines. The mystery of Jewel grew. She no longer watched Abby's location, but became exremely hurt and angry by something. An old wound that must have long since scabbed over must have ripped open, leaving her vulnerable to the world. Tony had somewhat of an idea about how that must feel. But she was even more closed off than Ziva was being right now, leaving Tony no one to talk to, as Tim refused to speak to anyone. The days were long and lonely. Nobody goofed around much anymore, if at all, it was for a few minutes. It was as if Abby's absence was sucking the life out of everyone.

Ducky acted unusually impatient with Jimmy, who unfortunately got the short end of the stick when it came to emotional trauma, but he dealt with it in stride. What a trooper. Ducky's stories, whenever he told them, were unusually short and lacked their usual nogalastia, detail, and enthusiasm. So, nobody really listened. Not that they did in the first place, but it was a different sort of ignoring that hurt even more than if they had been doing it under normal circumstances.

Vance, mostly on the outside of all this, did not entirely understand what everyone's problem was. After all, they had a case to work on! So, why was McGee blankly staring at his computer screen while Tony quietly spoke with Ziva in private off to the side like work meant nothing. He was getting furious, close to blowing his top. Gibbs strode into his office with more politeness than he thought the man ever could have possessed. Plus, he knocked.

Something was wrong here. He thought of when Miss Sciuto got sick, and later, captured. Perhaps she meant more to everyone than he previously assumed. He always thought of Miss Sciuto as someone easily replaceable, so he just plucked someone out of thin air, hoping to restore the team's previous life and happiness. His efforts did just the opposite. Gibbs stood there, not speaking, not something unusual for him, but this felt like a different silence to the Director. He simply handed him a stack of papers and walked back out. The door closed quietly. Vance glanced at the wall, almost missing his door being used as a personal punching bag.

Nobody was speaking. It was a slow day, as per usual. Tony listlessly played with an old yo-yo he bought at the dollar store that morning. Ziva was gone, in the bathroom. Gibbs was out on a coffee run. Tim looked around and sighed. He heard faint laughter and snapped his head around, expecting to see Abby standing there smiling at him. Instead, there was Jewel, on the phone with someone. Tim felt his heart break a little more, getting a vague feeling that he'd never hear Abby laugh for a very, very long time.

Jewel laughed again and hung up the phone. It was the first time anyone had ever seen her happy since she started working here. Her amber eyes held a faint glow as she sat down at Ziva's desk. Still no one spoke. It was as if speaking would make this real, all too real. Tim gritted his teeth and started a new line on the typewriter, trying to figure out what it would be like for Amy to be trapped somewhere unknown and terrifying, but soon he couldn't take it anymore and just stood up, throwing his typewriter to the ground. Everyone looked at him. Tim rarely lost it like this.

"I can't take this anymore!" he cried out in anguish, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I just can't!" He ran for the elevator. Silence. An all too common theme in the bullpen these days. Jewel gazed after him then resumed her quiet day dreaming. Tony went over to pick up McGee's typewriter and checked if it was broken. He caught a glimpse of what he had typed: _Amy was dying slowly, unable to control what was happening to her no matter what she did to fight back... she just wasn't strong enough_. That was it. Tony wondered why he felt so odd and realized he was shaking, shaking with uncontrollable sobs. No. No, no, no...He felt everything fall away.

The team was falling apart. Jewel could see it. Only a matter of time before she did too, feeling their pain. But she felt seperated, apart from everything. As if the pain didn't belong to her. Maybe it was _she_ that didn't belong. So, she did the one thing she could. Jewel drifted out of the bullpen, leaving Tony and Ziva to their private suffering. She'd go find Tim for them. It wasn't much, but it was better than being completely useless to them, which was how she felt now. She found Tim sitting in the elevator, crying. Jewel pushed the emergency stop(a thing she picked up from Gibbs) and sat down next to him. She didn't comfort, she didn't wrap her arm around him like anyone else would. Jewel sat and waited, something she was very good at from years of experience.

"Why are you here? This is my pain, not yours." Tim's voice was rough with pain long surpressed and a longing she had no idea was possible for such a man to possess.

"I know," Jewel said. "But I am here to help the only way I can."

"Why were you so...emotionless when you first started working here?" he asked, obviously more willing to listen than to speak. Jewel decided it was time someone knew about this.

"I was involved with a man...years ago, high school or college perhaps. The years tend to blend, you know? But as our relationship went on, I found out some things were...not...right with him. He'd not only laugh at pain, but gleefully inflict it on others. He'd hurt me too. I told him I no longer loved him because of the monster he was. That was all fine and good. Eventually he left me alone. But then, after another two years, he found me again, looking haunted and desperate. He said some girl had broken heart and he _needed_ me like nothing ever before. I reluctantly agreed to try again.

"But, after a month, despite of the love I had for him, I knew this wasn't going to work. How would I make him understand, without hurting the both of us at the same time? I realized there was no easy way to go without inflicting some kind of emotional pain on myself. So, I abruptly told him it was over. No warning, no explanation. I walked away. I pushed away the pain and became someone else entirely. I remained that way ever since...until I came to NCIS."

Tim didn't say anything the whole time, but hung on to her every word as Jewel told her story. When she stopped speaking, he stood up and pulled out the emergency stop so he could leave.

"That man," Tim said, pausing as the doors slid open. "What was his name?"

"He called himself Hades," Jewel replied, internally wincing as his name brought on fresh pain. With that, Tim left, the elevator descending to an unknown destination. Tony nodded upon his entrance, having regained composure.

"Hey. I made sure your typewriter was in good shape," Tony said. He simply nodded in reply and sat down at his desk, feeling a little better than before, reflecting on what Jewel had told him just a few minutes ago. Ziva sat there alone at her desk, deep in thought about something. Her dark brown eyes, always filled with so much mystery, were uncharacteristically filled with more emotion than usual at the moment. Suddenly, she bent over the trash can and violently threw up into it. Tony was at her side at once, holding back her hair and murmuring words of comfort. Tim felt a pang in his heart, thinking of Abby. _Abby...don't die. I don't think I can live without you. None of us can. The emotional turmoil is making Ziva sick, it's driving us to our breaking points. You hold us together, Abs. If you fell apart...none of us would survive the pain._

Ziva pulled her head up, coughing uncontrollably for a minute before finally regaining her breath, only to bend over and throw up again. Tony's eyes were pained and confused, but he remained with her until she was able to breathe again. Ziva slumped into his arms, pale and exhausted. Tim watched them, wondering what was going on.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong now?" Tony asked softly. "You act like this is my fault, but I know it's not."

"It is," Ziva insisted, "in a way." Tony was quiet as he processed this new information. Gibbs walked into the bullpen. He was unsurprised to see Ziva in her weak state, but did not comment on it.

"Are you trying to tell me that you're-" He couldn't seem to say the word.

"Yes," Ziva said in a voice so low that Tim almost couldn't hear her from this distance.

"And it's mine?" She nodded.

"Oh God, I swear, I thought I was being careful! I used one those things and everything! You know!" Tony let Ziva fall out of his arms. He stood up and frantically started to pace, looking a little like Abby in one of her Caf-Pow! induced highs. Ziva weakly got to her feet, but swayed slightly upon standing. She settled for sitting in the chair at her desk instead.

"You alright?" Tony asked, approaching her once he had calmed down.

"Yes, I am fine. I just a glass of water."

"I'll go get something from the vending machine." His lips brushed her cheek, and then he was gone.

"Don't kill Tony," Ziva said softly, addressing Gibbs for the first time that day.

"Wasn't planning on it," Gibbs replied. Things were quiet again. Tim resumed his solitaire game without much enthusiasum. He was convinced that nothing was going to change. For a second he had that forbidden thought that Abby would never be found. Then the elevator dinged. Tim looked up, pausing the game he long since lost interest in. A young girl walked in. She looked oddly familiar. She couldn't have been more than eleven years old, but she already had that adult look in the way she carried herself and looked around. She had black hair precisely the same as Jewel's, but her eyes were an innocent pale blue. The mystery girl strode up to Gibbs's desk with unmmeasured confidence and came to a sudden halt. Gibbs stared at her, not sure what to make of this. Tony came back and stopped in his tracks, gaping in awe at the visitor. Ziva glanced at her, but otherwise gave no notice to the scene.

"Are you Special Agent Gibbs?" the girl inquired formally.

"Depends," Gibbs said gruffly. "Are you here to help or harm us?" This guy was good.

"Are you familiar with my mother, Jewel Manchester?" Ziva whirled around, her eyes wide with shock. Things had gotten interesting.

"Maybe," Gibbs replied. "Why should that concern me?"

"Because I have some information that might be useful for you, Special Agent Gibbs." This girl didn't have a streak of shyness in her. She was forced to grow up quite quickly.

"What sort of information?"

"Do you know anyone by the name of Abigail Sciuto?" Three collective gasps all around the bullpen. Tony couldn't find it in himself to move. Nobody spoke or made a single sound. You could hear a pin drop. But it was clear in everyone's eyes that they were hopelessly desperate for news, any news.

"What about her?" Gibbs quipped, as if he didn't really care one way or the other.

"I believe I may know where she is being held." Silence, but this time, it was so loud that everyone's ears rung with the intensity of it. Tim made a strange sound like he was choking. Tony dropped the Aquafina water bottle in his hand. Ziva gazed at the strange child in wonder, a single tear rolling down her cheek. But none of that mattered. _She was alive._ Hurt maybe, but alive, breathing even. It was as if a heavy cloud lifted some. Nobody spoke for what felt like a long time. Gibbs looked back at the girl. She waited patiently.

"Where?" was all Gibbs could bring himself to say.

**AN: Okay, so that chapter was uber-intense, but I wanted to focus on what the team was going through, since Abby's suffering was more monotonous than anything else and you'd get bored with reading the same crap over and over again. I hope I am keeping everyone in character enough for this.**

**I have done angtsy stuff before, such as self-harming, anorexia, and abusive relationships. Those are things people are very familiar with nowadays. I've done romance, supernatural, drama, humor and wit, tragedy, and character deaths. But I think this is a new stretch for me, testing the absolute limits of what these characters can take, to the point that they completely fall apart on the inside. **

**This kind of emotional, **_**painful**_**, and absolutely heart-wrenching drama is something I haven't fully explored before. So if I get some things wrong or overdramatic I'm sorry. I'm doing the best I can. I can't explain it, but...it just feels like the story should happen this way. Call me crazy but it just feels pieced together right. You may not think that, being the reader, and not seeing the full picture yet, but I do since I am the writer and I know exactly where I'm going with all of this.**

**Anyway, I appreciate all the feedback so far(yes, even the unsigned ones. I don't care if you are reviewing from a prison in Iraq and later plan to blow up the world. At least you have enough intergrity to enjoy good literature). I am not sure how long this story will be just yet, but since it's my main focus at the moment I'll just keep plowing forward the way I have and just see what happens. Again, thank you for the reviews, favorites, and alerts that have been swarming into my inbox every day. You have no idea how much it means to me.**

**Um...wow this is getting to be really long. So, as for the future of this fan fiction, I think you can pretty much see within the next couple chapters Abby will get found. Do not worry. I am not planning a character death for anyone on the team. I'd never do that kind of extreme, especially with what I have the chacters suffering through right now. Stay tuned, and whatever you do...DON'T watch the Nyan cat video(the ten hour version). Just thought you guys could use a little humor.**


	16. Chapter 16

Jewel entered the bullpen at that moment, completely oblivious to what was going on. She stopped, taking in the sight of her daughter, and everyone's stunned expressions. All was quiet at the moment while the agents gathered their thoughts. Finally, it was Jewel who spoke first.

"Delanie, what are you doing here?" Her voice cut through the silence with much more smoothness than Ziva expected from such a woman.

"Mother, I am here to help Agent Gibbs find who he has lost," she said. "Now we shall go. Time is not something we should be wasting, especially with the man who is hurting her."

"How do you know all of this?" Tony blurted, suddenly acting like himself again in the heat of the moment.

"I watch. I listen. I observe and record," the girl replied mechanically. "It is a part of who I am. Investigating has always been an interest of mine." Gibbs gave her a strange look.

"Now if you are done delaying the inevitable, allow me to lead you to the one you seek." She spun on her heel and strode to the elevator.

"She is much more...cold and calculating than I was at that age," Ziva said. They all filed into the elevato: Jewel, Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, and lastly, Tim. Delanie looked at all of them with a neutral expression on her face.

"I see you all care about Abigail quite a lot," she observed as the elevator began its descent.

"And I see you still talk like a dictionary," Tony quipped. Gibbs reached over and smacked him upside the head; the first headslap in over a week. Was it a sign things were getting better? Or was it a sign that worse times were ahead?

"Why do you hit him for trying to be humorous?" Delanie asked. It was the first time she sounded like anything close to her own age.

"Because Dinozzo's an idiot," Gibbs said, almost smiling at her. His blue eyes twinkled with a ghost of a smile.

"It's just his thing," Tim spoke up. "The Gibbs slap...it is a form of affection and a sign that you are being stupid or way out of line." Delanie was quiet. They all piled into the van Ducky used to transport to crime scenes.

"Alright, where to?" Gibbs asked, getting behind the wheel. Ziva got into the back with McGee. Jewel and Delanie sat in the middle. Tony, having called shotgun, eagerly climbed into the seat next to Gibbs.

"Start driving," Delanie said. "I'll tell you where to go from there." Things were quiet in the van for the first ten minutes or so. Ziva and Tim started a game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" in grim silence. Jewel gave careful instructions. The turns were so sharp that even Gibbs gritted his teeth as he gripped the wheel. After a while, Ziva suddenly sat back and stiffened.

"Ziva, are you alright?" She shook her head rapidly.

"Gibbs," Ziva called uncertainly. "Can you stop the car, please?" He pulled over at once. Ziva clambered over the seats and all but sprinted off the road toward some bushes.

"Does...um...I don't know her name," Delanie said.

"Ziva," Tony supplied.

"Does Ziva get carsick?" the girl inquired.

"No," Tim answered. "She's really tough." Tony got out and went to go help her any way he could. Ten minutes later, they were all back in the van and on the road again. The remaining drive-only five minutes-was uneventful.

"Stop!" Delanie cried out. The van screeched to a halt in front of an abandoned salt factory. "I discovered this place by accident one day taking a shortcut home from school. I came in here and discovered horrible things that you will soon see..and never forget for the rest of your lives." The walk inside was completely silent. Inside the salt factory, it was clear that everything was worse for wear. The place hadn't been used since the eighteenth century, but miraciously the foundation and inside was somewhat intact. Delanie dropped to her knees and started scrabbling at the floor. After a moment, her fingernails curled around a piece of the floor that was slightly different from the rest of it. Everyone helped her lift the piece until it was wrenched out of the way. Down below there was a ladder leading down into darkness.

"This leads to the room in which Abigail is being held in day and night. I must warn you. Things do not look good with her."

"How'd you get in there undetected?" Tony asked increnduously.

"Luck," she replied simply. "And you can't ignore your gut." When no one else had an argument, she got down on the floor, apparently not minding that her skirt was getting dirty. She began the descent into the unknown.

"Boss, McGee and I will stay here to keep watch," Tony said. "I've got a feeling we shouldn't have too many people down there. It might end up freaking Abby out." Ziva ran outside, her hand over her mouth.

"I'll stay with her," Gibbs said before Tony could open his mouth. Jewel climbed down the ladder after her daughter. Soon she was swathed in darkness.

"This is it," Tony said.

"What? No movie reference?" McGee asked teasingly, suddenly in the mood to crack a joke for some reason.

"Let's see...what have I got..." Tony thought for a minute. "Nope, nothing."

"Nothing at all?" Tim could hardly believe it. But instead of continuing on about it, he just fell silent again as if nothing had happened. _Abby..._

"I've got her!" Delanie cried out. Her voice was hard to hear. The two agents sighed in relief. "She doesn't look so good...Mom, could you help me?" It took awhile, but somehow Jewel and her daughter were able to bring Abby up into the world of sunlight. She was deathly pale, bruises and injuries littering her malnourished body. But what was most noticeable was that she was hardly wearing anything. Abby stirred slightly in Jewel's arms.

"Abby," Tim choked out, reaching out for her but unsure of what to do.

"We need to get her to a hospital," Delanie said. "She is barely breathing."

"Closest one is over an hour from here...we don't have that kind of time," Jewel told her.

"Get her in the van," Tony instructed. "I'll call Ducky."

After what felt like an eternity, they made it back to NCIS with no issues. Abby was taken down to autopsy to be examined. Tony, Ziva, and Tim told Delanie everything that had been going on lately. Jewel listened in silence, blankly staring out the window, deep in thought. Gibbs was down in autopsy waiting for news on Abby, which was the priority at the moment.

"I wonder what he did to her," Tim mused absently, starting up a card game with Daniela.

"Physically or emotionally or sexually?" Jewel asked harshly, her eyes flashing in pain.

"All of them?" Tony asked weakly, taking his hand of cards and examining them. Jewel rounded on him, her face a mask of past tortures from years ago.

"Physically," she started, startling the agent, "He will have used his line of tools for personal enjoyment on her skin, hence the injuries, broken bones, even punctured organs if possible with the right tool. Emotionally, I will not even begin to go there. You will see for yourself. As for sexually, how do you think Daniela was concieved?" Ziva let out a long stream of curses in Hebrew.

"So, basically Abby's all messed up now," Tim concluded, turning over a card. They were currently playing blackjack and Daniela thought she was winning. So did Tony. Tim payed no attention to his hand.

"Yes," Jewel said. "But she'll be fine..."

"When?" Tim cried out, leaping to his feet and scattering cards all over the place. "I have to go see her!" He ran to the stairs, ignoring the elevator in his distress. At that moment, there was a bloodcurdling shriek that caused chills to run down everyone's spines.

"Holy shit, Abby," Tony breathed, card game forgotten. He ran down to autopsy, nearly tripping over his own feet in the hurry to get there.


	17. Chapter 17

**Me: Um...things don't get much better from here.**

**Tony: Yeah, this isn't for the faint-hearted.**

**Me: Why do you keep showing up?**

**Tony: Because I...can?**

**Me: Ughh...*facepalm***

**Tony: Just keep talking. I'll be here for you.**

**Me: Whatever. Anyway, like Tony said, if it gets too intense for you...how do I say this nicely...DON'T READ IT! Obviously Abby is never going to be the same happy, bubbly person as before, so she isn't going to magically be fine.**

**Tony: I think they get it.**

**Me: I'm so glad you aren't real.**

**Tony: Ouch. That was harsh.**

**Tim: Can we get to the story now? Please?**

**Daniela: Disclaimer. She most certainly will never, ever, in all of eternity, never, own the right to NCIS.**

**Jewel: In English, it's not hers!**

**Me: *cries* Way to crush my spirits right before I even start! Maybe I'll even kill Abby now to compensate!**

**Abby: **_**What?**_

**Me: Oh crap...when did you get here? No, I swear, I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!**

**Abby: *glares murderously***

**Me: Um while I'm trying not to get killed maybe you shou-ouch-just start reading...that would be great!**

It took some time for everyone in autopsy to calm Abby down, who was freaking out like nobody had ever seen before. Finally, when her cries faded to nothing but weak sniffles, everyone but Ducky and Tim left to give her some space.

"Abigail, what did your kidnapper do?" Ducky asked gently. Silence. Abby's eyes were blank. Her face was unreadable as she sat there. Save for the slow movement of her chest and the occasional blink, she might as well have been dead for all the life she didn't show. It broke the ME's heart to see the poor girl in this state. It was something he hoped to never see again-in anyone he knew and loved. He decided to try a different approach.

"I'll let you have some time alone. Come, Timothy. We'll have Daniela watch her since she seems like a smart girl, don't you think?"

Alone. Abby didn't know what to think about that. It was relief and pain at the same time, so she had no idea how to feel. Solitude. Alone. But was she lonely? Not as lonely as with people, because they didn't care like they should have. Not for real. Every hug, every promise, every smile was a complete lie. A farce, a show, an act, whatever you call it...she imagined that someone actually loved her for all that she was and ever will be. Did she really not matter? To _anyone_ on this planet?

"Hello." A stranger appeared before her. This person...would she lie like all the others? Her eyes were hard to read. Abby decided to not care. What was the point, really?

"My name is Daniela. Do you like to be called Abigail or Abby?" She flinched upon hearing her own name, curling inside herself, remembering but at the same time shoving the memory away.

"Abby it is, then," Daniela said softly. She didn't pity. That was good. Abby didn't want that. Nothing was wrong with her. It was them. They were the problem, not her.

"Hey, you've been through some rough times. I see that. Everyone is here for you." She shook her head. No they weren't.

_**"We always secretly hated you,"**_ Gibbs hissed in her ear. Of course you did.

"Who are you talking to?" Daniela asked a little worriedly. She tried to speak but no words would come. Abby settled for signing. She always felt confident when signing. Daniela watched her hands carefully, trying to understand.

"Slow down...I didn't take that much ASL...Gibbs...hate...you...but why? He loves you, doesn't he?" Abby shook her head and started over. Daniela had to understand the truth.

"Rescue...wouldn't...come...lost hope." That was all. She dropped her hands and didn't say anything else. Daniela sat on the table with her and stayed silent as well. Time had no meaning, but enough of it must have passed for Ducky to come in with some chicken noodle soup.

"I imagine you must be starving."

_**"Not that I care. You were always the thorn in our side."**_ It was like Abby was hearing Ducky's voice twice over. She didn't know which one to listen to. So she listened to the one that sounded more real to her: the dark, poisoned version of him. Ducky handed the bowl to her and she reluctantly ate a few spoonfuls. Her stomach churned, and she ran to the sink to throw it all up. Ducky held her hair back and sighed.

_**"Why must you be so weak and breakable all the time?"**_ For the first time, she spoke to him directly.

"I'll...fight harder...if that's what you want," Abby mumbled. Her voice had lost all life and feeling. What did that matter, when pain betrayal was the most real thing out there?

"What are you talking about?" Ducky asked.

_**"Of course! You are crazy, you never know what you're talking about!"**_

"Stop yelling at me," Abby said.

"I'm not," Ducky protested.

_**"Why? Do you like it? Want me to do it some more?"**_

"Stop!" Abby shrieked, whirling around to face him. Her eyes were full of pain and fear. Ducky didn't quite know what to make of this. He stood there in a stunned silence for a moment, wondering what was going on.

"You don't care," Abby muttered, shoving past him to leave autopsy.

"I don't think you should..." But she was already gone.

"Abby!" Tim cried out when she entered the bullpen. He runned to hug her, but came to a halt when he saw the look in her eyes. Dead. Lifeless. Hopeless. Betrayed.

"I'll go get Abby some clothes," Tony offered. He and Ziva left the bullpen together.

"Abs?" Tim asked cautiously.

"Just...leave me alone," she said dully, going to sit next to the strange woman by Ziva's desk.

"Abby, I am Daniela's mother, Jewel," the woman said. Fine. More people. She didn't care one way or the other. Jewel gazed at her for a moment before deciding to let the lack of reaction go for now.

"I'm going to talk to Ducky," Jewel said, getting to her feet. "I think Abby needs counceling." Tim stared and stared at Abby, trying to find some sign that she was going to snap out of this. But he could find nothing familiar and comforting about those green eyes...that once, not too long ago sparkled with endless smiles and laughter. This was worse than her screaming and crying. A whole lot worse. At least he knew then what she was feeling. But this was nothing he'd ever seen before. Tim wanted to look away but he couldn't. It was hard, beyond hard, knowing this might be the only way he'll know Abby for a long time.

"Abs, I need you to tell me what's going on," Tim started carefully, looking straight in her eyes depsite the discomfort of seeing such lifelessness before him.

"Why do you care?" she asked dully.

"Because I love-"

"Don't say that!" Abby shrieked, leaping to her feet. There was a sudden fire in her eyes that he wasn't expecting. "Don't say that and expect me to believe you like all the other times, because you know what? I'm not going to be fooled anymore! I'm not going to let you guys...lie to me over and over again for your own personal enjoyment!" She stormed out of the bullpen, leaving Tim in a stunned silence. He let her go, too shocked to be upset or offended.

"What happened?" Gibbs asked, coming into the bullpen with his coffee.

"Boss...she doesn't trust us anymore," Tim said in shock. "She says we lied to her over and over again about how much we cared, and took off."

"Where?"

"The head, I think." He was off at once, apparently not caring about what Abby thought of his attempts to show he cared. Well, Gibbs would be Gibbs, but Tim was different. His self esteem worked differently than everyone else's. It was weaker, with fewer defenses. And yet he found himself almost believing what Abby said. What if she was right? What if he hadn't done enough for her in the past? Vance came downstairs, the only person clueless about Abby's return.

"Any luck?" he asked, at the last of his patience. Tim just shook his head and walked out. Vance was more confused than ever. He could've sworn he heard shouting some time ago.

"Leave me alone!" Abby yelled, running into the bullpen. She almost ran into Vance.

"Hello, Ab-Miss Sciuto," Vance said. "I see you have made your return." Abby thought this over. No double voices. She can trust him! Finally! Someone the voices didn't touch! She almost smiled.

"I was rescued, Director," Abby replied. That was when she noticed what she was wearing. She glanced down, blushed, then looked back up at him.

"My clothes...I-"

"It's alright, Miss Sciuto," Vance said. "We can only imagine what you went through the past week or so." A week? That short?

"I think I can trust you," Abby said suddenly, looking the closest to happiness she had in quite a while.

"Why is that?" the Director asked.

"Because I don't...hear you. In here." She pointed at her head.

"Why do you hear voices?" Vance asked, acting as if this were perfectly normal.

"He said being alone means you figure out the truth. So each time I demanded to be rescued, I was punished...and then left alone. I know the truth now." She walked off before Vance could get any more explanation than that.

**AN: What did you think? Review, please!**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: I am surprised to have gotten this far so quickly. But, unfortunately for you readers, updates will be very unscheduled from now on as school starts for me tomorrow(Aug. 22nd) and waking up will be especially brutal for me in the mornings. However, I'll be able to devote a about four to five hours a week to any upcoming chapters. So, updates...will depend. If anything comes up I'll let you guys know. Just hang in there.**

**Disclaimer: Now that that's out of the way...I AM NOT OWNER OF SHOW.**

"Abby, here," Tony said before she could leave. He handed her some clothes that he got from her house. Abby went off to the bathroom to change without a word. Vance approached Tony and Ziva.

"Agent Dinozzo, I am concerned for Abby-I mean, Miss Sciuto's welfare at the moment," Vance said. Nobody appeared to have noticed his slipup.

"I think we all are," Ziva murmured. Her eyes looked far away as she gazed at the spot where Abby had vanished.

"What did you witness?" Tony asked.

"Miss Sciuto told me...that she hears voices." At that moment, Abby appeared in the bullpen, fully clothed but otherwise not looking any better in appearence. It was still such a shock to see her face so completely without life or hope.

"Excuse me," Ziva whispered, heading off for the restroom. Tony gave Vance a glance of apology and went after her.

**Line Break!**

"Morning sickness again?" Tony asked softly, entering the women's restroom. Ziva shook her head, still not looking at him. He pulled her toward himself just as she broke down into sobs. He stroked her hair, not saying anything, because he knew nothing he said would really help. A single tear slid down his cheek.

"It'll be okay," Tony told her, though he didn't exactly believe it himself. "It'll be...okay..." His voice cracked. More tears fell into Ziva's hair. They clutched one another for any support they could get. Tony tried to remain strong and supportive, but eventually he couldn't hold it in anymore and broke down into quiet cries as well.

"I hate seeing her like this!" Ziva wailed. Normally she wouldn't let anyone see her like this...but the toll of the past few days, plus the stress of being pregnant, simply was over the top for her mind and body. They remained this way for a long time, crying in each other's arms. Eventually, though, Ziva calmed down and sat on the floor against the wall.

"What are we going to do about the kid?" Tony asked. He didn't really want to think about Abby right now.

"I guess just...raise it together," Ziva said. "I don't want an abortion."

"Me neither. I don't care if he or she's got dozens of problems. I'd want to keep it."

"That's good," Ziva said with a small smile. "I think you'd make a good father."

"What does this mean for us, though?" He gazed at her questioningly. She leaned forward, forward, until their lips met.

**Line Break!**

"I don't think we should allow Abigail to leave," Ducky said hesitantly. Jewel nodded in understanding.

"Smart of you...do you know I have a degree in psycology?"

"No. What does this have to do with-"

"I could be Abby's councelor," Jewel interrupted. "She obviously doesn't trust anyone she knows with any important information. It's her only hope..."

"Yes, but her injuries-" Ducky protested.

"Which ones? Her physical ones are fine. They'll go away. It's the mental ones we have to focus on, Dr. Mallard. I went through this same thing and only barely recovered as you can see. I don't want to have Abby completely fall apart. She's hanging by a thread...but threads can snap or lose strength. Some people just aren't strong enough, but I know Abby is. We just have to get her to open up to people again, and that fight inside of her will come back stronger than ever. I know I said in the past that Abby was...you know...but that's the past and it doesn't matter! I regret everything I said about her and am moving on. What matters is that we help her any way we can even if she doesn't appreaciate or accept it."

"I understand completely," Ducky said. "And I think it's a wonderful idea. I'll have something set up for the both of you...I just hope it won't affect your work."

"Oh, it won't," she assured him. "I'll be doing weekend sessions with her." Ducky nodded. This seemed to make the most sense. And it would have to do for now. With the way Abby's mental health happened to stand, it didn't seem there was much of a choice. They paused at the sound of someone shouting from several floors up.

"STOP! NONE OF YOU CARE! IT'S ALL A LIE!"

"Abby! We are only trying to help-" That was Tim for sure.

"NO! I CAN HEAR YOU IN MY HEAD TELLING ME OTHERWISE!"

"Abby, we aren't in your head, we're right here!" Ziva, though her voice sounded rough from constant crying.

"Abby, please calm down!" Tim again.

"You're going to wear yourself out!" Tony cried out.

"Stop! Make it stop! Stop!" Abby wailed. "I can't tell where to listen! STOP!" She was sobbing now. Ducky and Jewel exchanged a glance.

"Miss Sciuto, if you'd please listen to what they're trying to say..." Vance's voice trailed off.

"I can't calm her down!" Tim said desperately.

"Get her to Ducky," Tony instructed. "I'll call Bethesda if that doesn't work." A brief silence, during which Abby continued having hysterics that appeared to be getting out of control. Five minutes later Tim dragged in a shrieking and crying Abby into autopsy.

"I'll get a sedative!" Jimmy spoke up, appearing out of nowhere with his fiancee Michelle Lee, who looked to be in a rather sour mood at the moment.

"Nice timing, Mr. Palmer," Ducky noted. Jimmy nodded and grabbed something out of a cabinet; the ME caught a glimpse of a bottle of pills. Jimmy scrambled to get the bottle unscrewed, then shoved something white into Abby's mouth. He tilted her head back to force her to swallow. She complied, and after a while she started to calm down. Tim sighed in relief.

"Finally," he said, breaking the silence.

"What's going on?" Michelle asked, her eyes darting around the room with suspicion. "Jimmy told me something was wrong with Abby...but I never expected something like this." Abby slumped to the floor, clinging onto Tim for dear life. Silent tears ran down her face but she didn't say anything.

"We don't know for sure," Ducky said slowly. "She could be having hallucinations of some kind, but she won't tell us anything definite." Michelle looked confused, but didn't ask any more questions.

"The voices are gone," Abby said dully.

"Maybe it was more than a sedative..." Jimmy murmured thoughtfully.

"Abs, do you want me to stay with you tonight?" She nodded and let him support her weight as they walked out.

"What happens now?" Jewel asked when they were gone.

"I suppose Jethro will order all of us to go home for the time being," Ducky guessed. "There is nothing more we can do."

"Except wait," Jimmy said.

"And hope," Michelle added. "Keep me posted, alright? I hate being out of the loop." She let autopsy with her husband-to-be.

"Oh Abigail..." Ducky murmured. "What have they done to you, poor child?"

"More than you could ever know," Jewel whispered. Her amber eyes were filled with pain, as they had been the past day or so.

"How I wish you weren't right," the ME said after a silence.


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: I've got time to post a quick chapter before school starts. Wish me luck on my last first day of high school! YAY! SENIOR CLASS 2012!**

**Disclaimer: Were NCIS mine...um I don't know I can't think at five in the morning.**

_Darkness. Nothing but darkness. She couldn't breathe, for the walls were closing in on her so rapidly. She struggled to take a breath; even a shallow gasp through her teeth would suffice. But nothing happened. Fightened, she blindly searched for an escape. Stone, stone, and iron. No way out. She couldn't breathe. Oh, the darkness was so suffocating that she began to feel dizzy. She fell back, breathless, terrified, and completely alone. _

_Water. So much water. Once again she couldn't breathe or find a way out. She swam with all her might but it still wasn't enough, as she met wall after wall after wall. She was in a box. The box was getting smaller, so small. Surely she would be crushed. The water was death. No, she had to get out!_

Abby thrashed around in her sleep, and finally a choked scream escaped from her lips, long trapped because of the nightmare. In an instant Tim was at her side, trying to get her to wake up, but it was so hard due to the effects of the medication Jimmy had given her not more than a few hours ago.

"Abs, wake up!" Tim said, shaking her gently. "It's just a dream, you're fine!" After a minute, her eyes snapped open. Abby looked around wildly, her eyes wheeling, but not quite seeing.

"Can't...find...must...no!" Abby said. Tim bit back an apology and slapped her across the face. That snapped her out of it, and she finally met his panicked gaze. Abby looked at him as if he was a complete stranger. The drugs must have been wearing off. Tim wondered if she was schizophrenzic now. It seemed to be the logical explanation for her behavior.

"Jimmy came by earlier and gave me a whole bottle of this medication, and said it helped with hallucinations and stuff like that," Tim said. "Do you need a stronger dose?" She continued to stare at him in that strange way before finally coming to her senses.

"Timmy...I just want to get some sleep. Deal with me in the morning if you have to." The rest of the night was uneventful. Abby slept restlessly, but did not have another nightmare. Tim, on the other hand, stayed with her for hours, unable to get back to sleep until well after midnight. And when he did fall asleep, his dreams were filled with worry and uncertainty for the one he loved.

**Line break**

"Why are you calling me in the middle of the night?" Jewel growled. It was almost three in the morning. Daniela slept peacefully in the room next door.

"Sorry, sis...but it's important!" Great, Steve was bothering her again.

"What do you want?" This had better be good...otherwise she was hanging up without further comment.

"Um, we have a problem."

"Define problem."

"You know Hade-"

"Don't say his name!" she hissed, fighting a particularly bad memory.

"Sorry. Anyway, I found the hideout and he isn't where Daniela told me he'd be." He wasn't really sorry. Steve claimed to understand but he never really would.

"Are you sure?" Sometimes he pulled crap jokes like this. She had to make sure he was serious this time.

"Yeah. His tools are gone, the old closet's been cleaned out, it's like no one was here at all." If only that were true.

"Are you positive there is nothing there?" She knew him better than anyone else.

"Well...unless you count this little note as nothing." No, definitely not, Captian Obvious.

"What does it say?"

"I dunno...did you take Latin in high school?" Jewel sighed.

"Sure, a little...but I'm not an expert. You might want to ask someone who's good with languages." Steve groaned.

"I don't know anyone who's an expert on language!" Steve whisper-yelled. He had a habit of doing that.

"Well, luckily for you I do," Jewel replied. "You are in DC now, right? Well get your butt to NCIS and have them work it out."

**Line break...bleh**

Tim drove Abby to work that morning. She was completely silent the whole time, staring out the window, sighing occassionally. She reluctantly had taken the medicine and tried to eat breakfast, but couldn't get down more than a few bites.

"Abby, honey, we're here," Tim said softly. She barely nodded, still lost inside herself. He could never get used to the lack of life she held now in her body. It was as if she had given up on the world. He'd do anything to bring a smile, however small, back to her pale, forlorn, face.

"Gibbs said you wouldn't be ready to work yet, but you can hang with Ziva while I help out Jewel." Normal Abby would be furious with jealousy. This Abby just shrugged and didn't really react. In the bullpen, things were starting to pick up again, but there still wasn't any cases. Vance had mentioned to Tim that all cases were going to other teams until things were back to normal here. Abby sat down on the floor and leaned her head against Ziva's desk.

"Hi Abby," Ziva said, coming back with Tony from the bathroom. They were holding hands. Gibbs stared at them for a moment but otherwise made no comment on them breaking a rule, like he had been expecting it.

"Daniela coming by today?" Tim asked, entering the bullpen with swift, business-like strides.

"Not that I know of," Tony responded. Abby sighed again, fighting back tears.

"Jeez, I can't believe she was-" Ziva glared at him.

"I don't think that was the worst of it," Tim said quietly. "She had some pretty bad nightmares last night. Abby was rolling around, and she was gasping, like she couldn't breathe or something."

"Good thing you were there, then," Tony noted. "What do you make of it, then?"

"Panic attack in her sleep, I suppose...from clausterphobia?"

"That place could not have been large," Ziva said. "Jewel told me it was like being in a stone box. The door was barred, and there were no windows."

"Of course not," Tim said. "It's underground."Abby let out a choked sob and pulled her legs up against her chest. She was wearing an MIT shirt belonging to her boyfriend instead of her typical Goth attire, a sure sign she wasn't willing to show off the damage to her body, internal or external.

"Jewel didn't go into detail of what he did mentally to her," Tony muttered. "I can only imagine what she's thinking."

"She told me," Tim murmured. He told them what Jewel had said the other day. When neither of them had another comment on the matter, he sat down next to Abby and let her cry on his shoulder. Vance came downstairs, looking purposeful.

"How long to you propose Ms. Manchester will have to take Abby's place?" Vance asked, coming to a halt at Gibbs's desk.

"No idea," Gibbs responded. "Take a look at her and tell me if she looks anywhere near ready to be working at the hours she was used to." Vance did so, and his eyes softened upon seeing Tim's saddened face and Abby's miserable, hopeless one.

"I'll give her as much sick leave as she needs," he said finally. "Take good care of her, Agent McGee, you hear me?" Tim nodded, stroking Abby's hair and whispering something in her ear.

"Tony...I'm going to..." Ziva ran off before she could finish her sentence. He swiftly picked up an abandoned water bottle and went after her.

"Abs, you want to tell me what happened?" Tim asked softly. Abby rapidly shook her head and burrowed herself deeper into his chest.

"He...touched you, didn't he?" Abby reponded by letting out another loud cry. Vance and Gibbs both looked at her this time. Tim only sighed and let her sit on his lap so he could rub her shoulders.

"It's okay to be hurting...I don't like to have people messing with my Abby. You know what I'm gonna do? I'm going to get this bad guy for you. Then he can never hurt you again. How about that?" Tim was so gentle, so careful with Abby, as if he already knew all her mental and emotional weak spots. He continued to massage her shoulders, because it kept her calm.

"C-can you p-promise me something?" Abby sniffled.

"Anything."

"Don't leave." Tim hugged her tightly.

"I promise. I won't leave. Never, ever." Vance and Gibbs exchanged a glance.

**AN: Awww! Review, pretty please!**


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: Um...I'm basing this off of something that happened to me. It completely freaked me out, and when I looked up the symptoms things did not look good at all. Not to worry, I'm sure it was just a one time thing. Maybe it was a reaction from the medication I took last night or a result of having too much soda over the past several days. One cause did say too much caffeine.**

**Disclaimer: Did Abby ever have this problem? Guess we are about to find out...**

Abby gasped. Her heart was racing, and she couldn't seem to get a deep breath into her lungs like she could just moments ago. Her hands tingled with a sensation she'd never felt before. Above all, she felt like she was going to throw up. The walls were closing in on her. Her knees shook violently, her eyes wide with absolute terror.

"Abby?" Ziva asked. Tim was not there; he had to go get coffee. Gibbs had gone into MTAC with Vance. Tony was out buying some soup for her. Abby didn't respond, still panting like she was out of breath. Ziva began to grow worried.

"Abby, what's wrong?" She shook her head, unable to move from the spot.

"Zi...can't...I have to get out of here," Abby whispered, frantically searching for any sort of escape. Ziva was standing less than a foot from her. She took a few steps back. Slowly, Abby began to calm down, but she still had difficulty governing herself.

"I'm taking you to Ducky." Abby flinched when Ziva grabbed her arm, but didn't complain at the unexpected contact.

"What's the matter, girls?" Ducky asked, pausing in his story. Daniela gave them a glance of relief but otherwise gave no outward sign that she noticed them enter autopsy.

"Abby is being...stranger than usual," Ziva said She frowned, trying to piece together exactly what happened. As if in response, Abby backed away, her eyes darting around the room in search of an exit. Ducky watched her carefully, noting the way her hands shook and the fact she was short of breath.

"Where is her medication?"

"I don't know!" Ziva cried out. "Tim said he had it with him, but he's gone at the moment."

"Tim is gone?" Abby squeaked. "He promised that he wouldn't leave!"

"I think Abby is having a panic attack," Ducky reasoned. "Try and calm her down. I'll call Timothy and see he gets back here."

"I can't breathe!" Abby cried out. "Get me out of here! Get me out! I want out!" She started banging her fists against the wall. Ziva pulled her back. The woman's eyes were crazed with panic and fear, something not normally seen in her.

"You are safe here!" Ziva said in an attempt to reassure her friend. "Just hold on, Tim is coming." Ducky snapped his phone shut, mission accomplished.

"He will be here soon," the ME announced. "Timothy was on the way back when I called. If my predictions are correct, within the next five minutes he should be here with us."

"Jewel's on her way up," Tony said, coming in with a thermos of tomato soup. The room smelled of raw sushi. Ziva stepped back, her stomach churning.

"Tony," Ziva warned.

"What? I got soup like you asked." She felt her stomach jolt, and then she bent over the sink and was violently sick.

"I don't think it was wise to have been near raw fish before coming in here, Anthony," Ducky said. "The scent of raw meat tends to trigger sickness in pregnant women at times, though not in all cases. I met a woman once that was able to be around pounds of raw hamburger meat with no problem about it. Of course, she didn't have much of a choice, since she had to drive her drunken husband home from the-"

"Duck," Tony said, cutting him off. "What's going on with Abby?" Ziva snapped her head up, able to breathe again. She quickly strode over to him and took the thermos. Abby was slowly calming down, but it looked like she'd need some help soon if no attention was brought to her.

"I'll try calming her down," Tony offered. He turned her around, but at that moment Abby fell limp in his arms. She had fainted.

**Line Break!**

"I'm on the way with the note."

"Good. I can't wait to see you again."

"Hey, who's the language expert at NCIS?"

"I'm guessing Ziva...she's foreign."

"Like, Hispanic?"

"Not even close. She's from somewhere out east."

"France?" Jewel resisted the urge to roll her eyes. This guy wasn't the best at geography. But she liked to keep her twin brother guessing. Surprise, and mystery-her more time she spent at NCIS, the more...normal she felt. As if she actually belonged here.

"Um...wrong again. Gimme a hint, sis, I'm begging here."

"Somewhere in the Middle East I think."

"Israel!" Steve blurted. Jewel smiled. He was smarter than she thought.

"Right. Just tell the gaurds that NCIS knows you and they'll let you in."

"Cool. I'll be there in ten." The call disconnected. Jewel smiled faintly at the phone, wondering if she'd ever find someone she could trust as much as she trusted Steve.

**Mega line break! YAY!**

_Somewhere in Maryland..._

Clueless. All of them. They had no idea how the world worked. He lovingly caressed his tools, knowing that this was the only way to get rid of it. Pain erased his pain. Fight fire with fire, but he never got burned. Inflicting his suffering-well, he wouldn't really call it suffering if they asked for it in the first place...so, it was more of a reward for him being so patient, so in control. All of this and he hadn't killed a single one of them. At least they were alive. They had that much to thank him for.

_The worst possible punishment you could inflict is death for no apparent reason. Remember that, son, when you're out in the real world._

His knife hand twitched but still he did not strike. No vict-no, subjects to strike on. Surely there was an easier way to rid himself of this...feeling. It never fully faded, only became durable, barely noticable at best, unfightable at worse.

"And to think, all this time, my target which escaped my sights has been in front of me, the one place I didn't think to look." His voice didn't even sound like his own, but that was the last thing on his mind. All he could think about was a laughing black haired Goth that had somehow gotten away despite the fact he had so easily broken her for the second time.

"Weak. You are so weak, Abigail Sciuto. I'll find a way to strengthen your walls." He leapt down from the fire escape with surprising agility. To anyone watching, they would think this man was headed off to a place of business, judging by his pressed suit, tie, and briefcase. Oh, if only they knew...he allowed himself a dark chuckle of humor that was barely heard by the teenagers gathering nearby.

"Yeah, that guy's a freak," he heard someone say. A shake of the head, then he was on his way once more. Opinions were of no concern. Only finding _her_. That other one was long gone. She is a hopeless case. Even thinking her name no longer caused the endless ache of loss, because he had a new source of satisfying uncontrollable desires. Blood. Seeing it gets him excited, and he always just has to have more, more, more, until the one before him collapses, pale and lifeless but not dead.

Walking. It was something that caused him to remember. More often than not memory was too painful to even consider allowing in his head, but today it seemed life was being merciful. Only happy moments flashed through his head. But since happy times were so few and brief, this did not last long. The face of some kid swam into his vision. What was his name? Stan? Sean? It started with an S for sure. Were they friends, or enemies? The effort to remember caused his head to ache. He didn't often get headaches, so he quickly tried to think of something else before a true headache begin at his temples. Walking, a little faster now, as if he could outrun the past catching up to him. The only thing keeping him alive in every respect of the term was her face. Green eyes, and a laugh that caused her cheeks to turn rosy. So innocent and so weak. Frail. Breakable like a twig in the forest. This feeling was not love. He had only felt this thing called "love" only once in his life but even back then he knew he could never have such an emotion in his life without causing pain in himself. Something he didn't want at all.

Closer, closer...it was just a few blocks up now. A car was pulling in, passing through security. He paused and caught a glimpse of the plates. NCIS. Those four letters caused an immesurable anger to course through his veins. They took her from him. But he'd get her back. Not a threat, but a promise. He never broke his promises...


	21. Chapter 21

**AN: I am using another Evanescence song as inspiration...yay! Amy Lee, you are the greatest singer alive! Your haunting, yet enchanting voice gets me through the day no matter the situation I happen to be in.**

**The rough Latin translates to: "Save us from danger. Save us from evil." Unfortunately I've heard that the Latin is not completely correct, but its in the song so there's not much to be done about it. Thanks for that translation, random YouTube user. Song is called "Whisper" by the way. The 'Latin' sounds eerie in a cool sort of way. Maybe its street Latin or something? If there's such a thing...**

**Disclaimer: Does Bellisarius listen to Evanescence? I wonder...hey I should call-wait no need to be a stalker...**

"Why don't we just use Google Translate?" Steve asked Jewel as they stared at the note together. An hour had passed since his arrival. Tim took Abby home ten minutes ago. Tony and Ziva hung about in the lab, waiting to be of use.

"Because, that's lazy and not always reliable," Jewel responded. Daniela opened her book and sat in the rolling chair to read. Steve rolled his eyes.

"Latin is a complex language," Ziva said. "You may want to listen to him, Jewel."

"Fine. Let's see what the gods of Google have to say on the matter." Steve grinned and started typing.

**Line break**

Watching through the window, Hades had a clear view of what was going on inside the forensics lab down below. A man he didn't know but looked vaguely familiar was currently leaning over and squinting at something on the computer screen. Two NCIS agents playfully argued. Suddenly, the male agent swooped down and kissed the woman agent. Hades squirmed, feeling uncmfortable at the sight of all the romance. He instead focused on the only person that looked familiar: Jewel. The one who got away. The one he wasn't allowed to have. Who was he doing this for anyway? Her? Abby? He had long convinced himself that he _didn't_ love her, but he was constantly thinking of her in ways he thought would be inappropriate to voice allowed, even to himself. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. It wouldn't change what he did next to prevent them from finding out the truth. Sniper in hand, he positioned himself so he was out of sight of any agents watching. A young girl tracked his movements carefully.

**Line break**

"There is a man outside the window," Daniela said, forgetting about her book for the moment. Everyone ignored her.

"Its probably some homeless guy," Tony told her. He turned back to Ziva and held her close.

"Alright...this is taking forever to type properly," Steve said.

"I see him," Daniela announced, getting to her feet and staring out the window above her head. Her eyes were trained on a shadow outside.

"Hmm, might be something else, honey," Jewel said thoughtfully. A second later, a shot rang out, shattering the window and speeding through the air. The millisecond that followed would change everyone's lives. Daniela, seeing that her mother was in grave danger, leapt out and took the shot. She fell to the floor. Blood pooled around the wound in her side, but the girl quickly got to her feet again, evidently too high on adrenaline to feel the pain. The second bullet came when she was turned around facing her mother, thinking the danger had passed. She crumpled to the ground, her spine shattered. Only thirty seconds had elapsed, scarecly enough time for Tony to pull Ziva behind him so she'd be protected from any further.

"Dani!" Jewel shrieked.

"The man got away," Ziva called, peering out the window as best she could from where she stood. Steve stood there in shock, staring at his unconscious niece on the floor.

"Call 911," Jewel said in a rushed voice, checking Daniela to see if she had a pulse. "Come on, sweetie, please be okay!" Tony whipped out his phone and dialed 911 while Steve tried to help Jewel to stop the bleeding.

"I'll call Gibbs and Tim," Ziva offered, taking out her own cell phone. Things were quiet for a minute while things were sorted out. Ducky and Palmer came in and were both stunned by the scene before them.

"I heard gunshots, but never imagined..." For once, Ducky couldn't figure out what to say. Jimmy looked nervously around the room.

"An ambulance is on the way," Tony said, putting his phone away. Ziva had already passed the news on to everyone else.

"Help me get her outside so the paramedics can pick her up," Jewel said. She was being surpisingly composed about all of this. But, then again, so was everyone else. Ducky and Jimmy carried Daniela out without another word.

"Jeez, she's heavy," Jimmy said as they left together.

"You alright?" Tony asked Ziva. She nodded and surveyed all the broken glass mingled with some of the blood.

"Both bullets are inside her so they can't be processed yet," Ziva noted, nodding at the floor before facing Tony. Steve and Jewel hurriedly left the lab, apparently eager to see if the paramedics had arrived yet.

"Zi, are you sure you're alright?" Tony said.

"I am fine. Don't worry about me. Daniela is the one in danger."

**Line break**

"Where are we going?" Abby asked dully. She hadn't been told a thing.

"Daniela got shot at." Abby felt something close to shock and horror, but none of it showed in her face. Instead, she just nodded and resumed gazing out the window.

"Abs, you know you have to go to counceling this weekend, don't you?" Tim questioned. Abby just shrugged. Reactions from her were minimal these days, and he had to pay attention in order to catch them at all.

"I wish you'd talk to me...you can't hide this from everyone forever." His girlfriend mumbled something about "trust" and "nobody will understand" or something along those lines. It was quiet once more. Too quiet. Tim turned on the radio, growing ansty with the lack of life from the one he loved.

"I hate feeling like this," Abby muttered as the song came to an end. Another one immediately started.

"I know," Tim said.

_Catch me as I fall_

_Say you're here and it's all over now_

_Speaking the atmosphere_

_No one's here and I fall into myself_

_This truth is driving me into madness_

_I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away, if I will it all away_

_Don't turn away(Don't give into the pain)_

_Don't try to hide(though they're screaming your name)_

_Don't close your eyes(God knows what lies behind them)_

_Don't turn out the light(Never sleep, never die)_

_I'm frightened by what I see_

_But somehow I know that there's much more to come_

_Immobilized by my fear and soon to be blinded by tears_

_I can stop the pain if I will it all away, if I will it all away_

_Don't turn away(Don't give into the pain)_

_Don't try to hide(though they're screaming your name)_

_Don't close your eyes(God knows what lies behind them)_

_Don't turn out the light(Never sleep, never die)_

_Fallen angels at my feet_

_Whispered voices at my ear_

_Death before my eyes_

_Lying next to me I fear_

_She beckons me, shall I give in?_

_Forsaken all I've fallen for_

_I rise to meet the end_

_Don't turn away(Don't give into the pain)_

_Don't try to hide(though they're screaming your name)_

_Don't close your eyes(God knows what lies behind them)_

_Don't turn out the light(Never sleep, never die)_

_Don't turn away(Don't give into the pain)_

_Don't try to hide(though they're screaming your name)_

_Don't close your eyes(God knows what lies behind them)_

_Don't turn out the light(Never sleep, never die)_

_Don't turn away(Don't give into the pain)_

_Don't try to hie(though they're screaming your name)_

_Don't close your eyes(God knows what lies behind them)_

_Don't turn out the light(Never sleep, never die)_

"Servatis a periculum, servatis a maleficum..." Abby's eyes were far away. "No...not right..."

**Line break**

Steve was the only calm one in the waiting room as the others fidgeted nervously. Abby of course didn't appear to be feeling anything, although she was very deep in thought.

"By the way, I got the translation you were looking for, Jewel," Steve announced suddenly. She looked at him, momentarily distracted by her worry.

"What does it say?"

"Mission was a failure. The dark angel needs to be strengthened. Must find her again."

"What does that mean?" Ziva chose that moment to speak up.

"How many people do we know dress like that?" she asked, pointing at Abby, who was quietly humming the melody of the song she recently heard on the radio.

"No," Tony whispered. Tim stood up, his fists shaking in anger.

"I won't let him take her!" Tim yelled.

"Timothy, calm down," Ducky said, arriving on the scene with Jimmy and Gibbs. "It'll be alright, I'm sure."

"But have you seen her? I mean really seen her?" There were tears in his eyes now. "She hardly speaks a word! I can't get her to eat anything! The only thing that keeps her off the edge of insanity is that medication! I can't look at her without feeling so horrible that someone so monstorous could do this to Abby! I...love...her!"

"I know you do, but getting upset won't help Abigail heal," was all Ducky said in reply before taking a seat. Jimmy stared uncertainly at the agent for a minute before joining the ME. Gibbs remained standing, ignoring McGee entirely.

"Salva nos periculo libera nos a malo," Abby whispered. Tim threw a glance at her.

"What?"

"The...Latin in that song was wrong. It's supposed to be 'salva nos periculo, libera nos a malo' but I think they wanted it to sound better."

"Where did you hear that?"

"I heard someone whisper it once when I was about to fall asleep," Abby replied, as if it were common knowledge. After she was fnished speaking, she slipped inside herself once more like nothing had happened.

"That was weird," Tony commented.

"I do find that strange, even for Abby," Ziva agreed.

"Abby can speak Latin?" Jimmy said stupidly. Gibbs walked over and gave Jimmy a good strong headslap. He nodded in understanding and ducked his head before Gibbs could do anything else. At that moment, a doctor approached them.

"Good day, I'm Doctor Geritch, and I am caring for Daniela. Would you like to hear about how she is doing?" Gibbs glared at him, as if to say 'isn't the answer obvious enough?' The doctor looked a little nervous, but otherwise did not react to Gibbs's intense stare.

"Alright, we managed to give her a bloos transfusion and the bullets came out quite easily. However, once she gets out of this coma, I'm not sure if she'll be able to walk again."

"Why?" Gibbs asked.

"Her spine was fractured." There were several collective gasps from the team.


	22. Chapter 22

**Me: I am NEVER staying up that late on a school night ever again!**

**Abby: Why do you think I'm a Caf-Pow addict?**

**Me: WHY doesn't that stuff exist in real life? *cries***

**Abby: ;)**

**Random Fan: WHY CAN'T I OWN NCIS?**

**Me: Same reason I don't. Abby's too awesome for me.**

**Abby: :P Damn straight!**

**Me: Language...**

**Abby: Oops.**

It was estimated that Daniela wouldn't wake up out of her coma for several weeks. The remaining days in the week were very uneventful. It seemed like nothing would ever change with Abby, and that proved itself true in her first councelor meeting. It wasn't until the following Friday that something was...different. Tim stumbled into Abby's kitchen, intending to make breakfast for the two of them, but was surprised to find a small stack of blueberry pancakes sitting on the counter, but no Abby. He gave the plate a curious glance, but dug into his meal anyway, too hungry to think anything of it. When he went into the bedroom to get dressed he found another surprise: his clothes were already laid out for him. Since Tim had realized he'd be staying at Abby's for a while to help her through the nightmares and other things he practically moved in with his most important belongings. Wondering what was going on, Tim got dressed feeling both curious and confused.

Everything in the car was perfectly normal, so he drove to work wondering exactly what happened. Abby was sound asleep in her coffin; the lid was shut this morning when he checked in on her. _Why, then...?_ As he drove through security, he decided to appreciate the mysterious surprise and not question things further. But when he walked into work that spring Friday morning, he got the ultimate surprise. There was Abby, casually leaning against his desk.

"Abby! Wait a second...you don't sleep in your coffin with the lid closed, do you?" Abby laughed and shook her head. Tim stared in shock at her. _She laughed. She smiled._ A little bit of the life creeped back into those magical emerald eyes. In response, he felt a full blown grin creep across his face. Ziva smiled a little, and even Tony looked a little happier.

"Oh, Abs..." He didn't care about the pancakes or his clothes anymore. It was all about that laugh. It lasted less than a minute. The glow faded moments later, but he continued to gaze at her as if it would last forever.

"What?" She looked mildly confused, the hazy wall of lifelessness creeping up around her again. Tim merely leaned down and pecked her on the cheek.

"Love you." A ghost of a smile, and then he smiled back. That was all he needed to know she'd be okay.

**Line break, I guess...**

"Zi, are you sure-"

"I'm fine!" Ziva snapped. "Just GO AWAY!" Tony sighed and walked out of the bathroom.

"I'll be back in five minutes," Tony called. All he could hear on the other side of the door was sobbing.

"Is she alright?" Jewel asked, coming up beside Tony.

"Its just morning sickness...but it looks like she's sick more often than she should be."

"Is she able to keep anything down?"

"Most of the time, but today, not so much. I think I'll run by the pharmacy later and see if I can find any over the counter medication for her if this doesn't get any better."

"Maybe its temporary?" Jewel suggested. The senior field agen shrugged and headed back for his desk. Jewel followed him, having nothing to do since she already visited her daughter today. Steve had gone back to L.A. early that morning with barely nothing more than a goodbye.

"How's Daniela, by the way?"

"I think she moved, but it could have been a trick of the light." For the first time, Jewel let her walls down so Tony could see exactly how worried she was.

"Oh. Let me know if anything happens. Normally Abby would be the one all catatonic about this...and now there's no one for the other side of the extreme, now is there?" Jewel winced. She wasn't that good with relationships.

"Hey," Tony said. "You'll find someone. You just have to stop looking so hard." Jewel nodded, but didn't seem to really hear him.

"Could you help me?" she asked meekly, her amber eyes shining with desperation.

"Sure, what are friends for?" Ziva walked out of the bathroom.

"Meet me after work, then. I'll call you."

"What was that about?" Ziva asked suspiciously.

"Don't worry, I'm just helping Jewel find a date," Tony assured her. "You want something to eat? I brought the salad you wanted."

"Not right now," she said. "I think I'll just work on some cold cases for productivity."

"Well, it's down in Abby's lab it you want it," he offered. She merely sighed and brushed past him without another word.

**Line break zipidedoodah zipideeday...**

"Hey, Abby!" Jewel called, approaching the preoccupied Goth. Abby looked up.

"Yes?"

"I need some help with programming a language translator with precise audio into my laptop, think you could assist me?"

"Sure, just show me it." Jewel pulled her laptop out of her bag and handed it to Abby. After she opened it and found the incomplete program she set to work at once.

"Well, it looks like you need to rearrange the coding here so that it can recognize human speech," Abby said as she started typing. Jewel gazed at the screen, mesmerized by the scrambled numbers and letters appearing out of nowhere. She was quiet for a while, happy to be in her element. For the first time since her rescue, Abby didn't appear to be completely devoid of all feeling.

"Cool. So, if I start speaking fluent French or something the words will show up on here in English?"

"Not just yet...I haven't arranged the audio recievers to be able to unscramble themselves into what is familiar to you," Abby said. She continued typing, her fingers flying across the keys. "Why do you want this done, anyway?"

"I want to ask my ex to take me back," Jewel answered. "I'll have to cancel my plans with Tony...he was supposed to be a last resort." Abby didn't respond, but merely continued working on the program. She was in the zone, the best of her element, next to McGee of course, who was the ultimate expert when it came to all things technology.

**bum bum dee dum bum bum dee dum dum...another line break**

"Are you cheating on me?" Ziva demanded later that day.

"No, Zi, I wouldn't do that to you," Tony replied.

"Then why are you going with Jewel after work today?" Her eyes were burning with something close to anger, but not quite.

"I already told you that-"

"I don't want your excuses!" Ziva interrupted, cutting Tony off. "Talk to me when you aren't being such a goddamn bastard!" Abby and Jewel glanced up at them, then returned to work like it was any ordinary day at NCIS, even though ordinary went out the window some three weeks ago.

"Stupid pregnancy horomones," Tony muttered when Ziva was gone. "I swear..."

"You what, Dinozzo?" Gibbs quipped, appearing in the bullpen.

"Nothing, boss. Vance still allowing sick leave on Abby?"

"Yeah. He actually cares about us. Pretty surprising, right?" Tony grinned at him.

"I figured the guy had a heart down there somewhere. My charm is impossible to resist." Smack! Tony winced, rubbing the back of his head.

"Thanks, boss."

"Where's Ziva?" Gibbs's gaze sweeped around the bullpen.

"She's mad at me, so I have no idea. Horomones, you know?"

"Yeah, I know."

"Okay, that should do it!" Abby announced. "Here's the tool that lets you change your language settings, and that over there starts a new conversation. Press this, and you can let up to five people in this audio chatroom at once. It works with visual too, so you can see the person. Um...but the other person will have to have the program as well, but this one is fairly simple and can be found pretty much anywhere now. I'll have to warn you, buying it has a huge price tag, but there are heaps more features than what you've got here."

"You sure know a lot about this," Jewel said. "I can't believe that McGee is actually better than you with programming."

"Speaking of, where is he?" Abby looked around worriedly.

"Right here," Tim annnounced. "Sorry, the Director needed me for something." He took the stairs two at a time, strode over to Abby and pulled her up into his arms.

"I can't believe you left and didn't tell me," Abby said. She looked almost...sad.

"Sorry, I'll tell you where I'm going and for how long next time so you'll always have someone with you until this craziness comes to an end."

"It doesn't matter," Abby murmured, but it was more like she was trying to convince herself than anyone else. _Timmy promised he wouldn't leave, so why won't he stay by my side? Is he truly a liar?_ Suddenly, he got it.

"Oh, I get it, my promise. I'll take you with me next time, how does that sound?" Abby nodded, but the damage was already done. She wasn't sure whether to trust him anymore.

"I'm going to check on my daughter again," Jewel said. "Thanks for everything, Abby. I hope for sure he listens to me."

"What language does he speak?" Abby asked, changing tacks almost instantly.

"Spanish, but his accent when he speaks English is hard to understand so he just speaks his native language most of the time. I've learned a few words here and there, but couldn't ever get the hang of it."

"Oh, I can add something on there that can help you...retain information," Abby offered. Jewel shook her head.

"I'll just try this first, okay? You've done plenty."

"Oh, it was no trouble."

"I'm going to go fix things with Ziva," Tony said. He left the bullpen in the direction Ziva had gone. Jewel went into the elevator.

"I'm going down to visit Ducky? Want to join me?" Abby didn't respond.

"Abs?"

"Huh? What?" She looked at Tim.

"Did you hear me?"

"Oh, no...sorry. What did you say?"

"I said I'm going to visit Ducky."

"Okay, I'll come with you," Abby said immediately. Tim got into the elevator the second its doors opened. The Goth remained standing there, frozen to the spot.

"Abs, come on." She held back a retort and stepped into...a box. _Dark, not even the slightest speck of light. The chains were cold and rough against her wrists. The walls were closing in on her, her chest felt tight, she couldn't breathe-_

"Abby, calm down...its just an elevator," Tim said, reaching for the button that would take them to autopsy.

"Can't we take the stairs?" Abby begged, trying to control her heart rate.

"I-" That was when he saw the look on her face. "Okay, let's take the stairs." The second they were outside the elevator she started to calm down.

"What are you doing, McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"Taking the stairs, boss," Tim replied. "Abby can't exactly handle enclosed areas at the moment."

"Promise me not to leave again?" Abby asked as they entered the stairwell.

"I promise."

"You have to mean it this time, I mean really, really mean it. You broke your promise twice already."

"How about I use sign language?" She spun around so fast that she nearly lost her balance inbetween flights. Tim caught her before she could fall.

"When did you-" Tim started signing to her right there on the stairs. _'I'll always be there for you, Abby. No matter what. As long as you are in my life I will never want to leave you behind.'_

"I learned quite a bit from your mother," he said when he had finished. "She was willing to teach me some things." They walked hand in hand into autopsy. Abby was quiet, doing some thinking. Something Tim thought she'd been doing way too often lately.

"Hello, McGee," Palmer said, smiling at the sight of them. "Dr. Mallard should be back soon, and I am supposed to be leaving in about five minutes to arrange some last minute wedding plans." Abby tried to smile, but only managed a grimace. Jimmy seemed to understand her intentions, though, and smiled back.

"Is there a reason you two are down here?" Jimmy asked, all playfulness aside.

"Not really," Abby said. "Not like we have a case until I'm officially no longer crazy."

"You're not crazy," Tim and Jimmy said at the same time as Ducky came in.

"I'd imagine not," Ducky remarked lightly. "But, the Abigail I know is stronger than that." There it was again. The ghost of a smile, on Abby's face for everyone to see.

"Abby, you're smiling," Jimmy said, as if it weren't obvious enough already. But the novety of seeing Abby happy, even only for a moment, wasn't a time anyone would want to miss.

"I see you are healing...slowly," Ducky noted as her smile faded as quickly as it had come. Abby shrugged, as if it weren't a big deal. They all hung out in autopsy for over an hour, sharing stories(mostly Ducky) while others listened, interrupting every two seconds to interject their own opinions or correct information. For the first time, Abby didn't notice time passing, and didnt' really care. Though she hardly shared any stories, she was perfectly glad to listen to anyone's recounted tales of the past. Then Jewel walked in. Tim fell silent, pausing in his story of the first time he was sea sick.

"Hi there," Abby said, being the first to speak, which was something she didn't do as much.

"I have some news," Jewel announced. "Daniela is awake. However...she may not walk again."

**AN: Review? Pretty please? That blue button doesn't hurt to click on, I promise!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Abby: Come on let's just do the story already.**

**Me: No...**

**Abby: Get your butt up and start typing!**

**Me: No...*moans***

**Abby: You need to snap out of this funk.**

**Me: This would be a really good time for me to own NCIS. I'd want more Kate episodes to play.**

**Abby: Ah, Kate. She was great. But now she's gone. And we've got Ziva! Where'd she go, anyway?**

**Ziva: I don't feel very well, could you keep it down in there?**

**Me: Oh I see her now! Okay let's get started, before Tony comes in here and ruins everything.**

**Abby: Uh oh! *closes door on Tony***

"Never?" Abby gasped. For the first time, she actually looked...worried. Tim was happy to see that Abby was on her way with healing, but for the moment he just focused on Jewel.

"I...well, isn't there anything that can be done?" Tim asked uncertainly. None of them knew Jewel's daughter all that well, but if it wasn't for her, Abby wouldn't be standing here before them, alive and, at least physically well.

"The doctors aren't sure," Jewel murmured, tears sparkling in her eyes. "I can't believe this happened to my one and only daughter. She had so much going for her and now-"

"So, what you think her life is over, then?" Abby snapped, sounding every bit like her old self again. "Just because she's going to be disabled it doesn't mean she can't live a little and accomplish something to change the world! I can't believe you of all people would even think such a thing, much less say it!" She ran out of autopsy to hide the gathering tears.

"Abby had deaf parents," Tim explained apologetically. "I'll go get her."

**Line break: Property of Bellisarius. I own nothing but the OCs and plot...**

"Don't. Don't start with me," Ziva warned without turning around.

"Zi, I was only-"

"Apologizing won't work either," the agent growled.

"But-"

"No buts!" She finally faced him, and Tony stared in shock at her red-rimmed eyes. But then again...she was pregnant.

"Can't I just-"

"No! There's no fixing your mistakes this time, Dinozzo! You went too far! I'll never forgive you!" That really stung.

"Look, if you really feel that way I'll cancel and tell Jewel she can handle this on her own. I just can't believe to go so far as to hold a grudge against me. Even pregnancy horomones can't go that far...can they?"

"Why aren't you getting angry?" Ziva asked, her voice sounding a little strange.

"Because I know this isn't like you," Tony replied, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "You normally wouldn't show this much emotion in front of anyone." Ziva just looked at him, as if she wasn't sure that was a good thing for him to be thinking or not.

**Line break**

_Alone. It was worse, so much worse than being with people. Nobody got it, but she couldn't stand being alone no matter how hard she tried to tell herself it didn't matter either way. Breathe, breathe! She had to breathe! But her pulse was quick and panicked. She couldn't get in enough air, and it just made her more scared than ever._

"Timmy!" Abby gasped. Her hands began to tingle. Was she losing her mind? Was she dying? That was when the voices started again. Less intense, fewer in amount, but they were there.

_**"I see you are as weak as ever."**_ She could practically see Gibbs's ice blue eyes piercing into her soul. Abby tried so hard not to believe him, but looking back she could see how that would be true. In the end she shook her head to get rid of Gibbs. This wasn't the Gibbs she knew.

"Go away," Abby whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Abs, there you are!"

_**"Why couldn't you walk faster so you could get away from me?"**_ It took her even longer to figure out which one was the real Timmy.

"I need my-"

"I got it." The second she had already downed the pill she found herself able to think more clearly.

"Jewel says the medication is addictive so she's coming up with a better method for you tomorrow." Abby nodded. She was expecting something like this. Plus, the medication sapped away most of her emotion anyway. She missed being able to smile without getting this numb feeling inside her, like the emotion was wrong to have.

"Let's go see Daniela," Abby said. "I never got to properly...thank her."

**It's a line break, get over it. Haha, get it? Oh, you don't. DARN IT!**

Following was much too easy. Hades was able to stay less than two cars behind them without being detected. He waited for Abby to go in, then waited five minutes before walking in after her.

"Excuse me," Hades said to the receptionist. "Where can I find Daniela Manchester's room in the children's ward?"

"The children's ward is upstairs," the receptionist replied without looking up. "Are you a relative of Miss Manchester?"

"I'm a friend of her mother's," Hades replied, using the response he planned earlier. The intern shrugged, not caring one way or the other whether he was actually related or not. As far as she was concerned, protocol was protocal...most people told the truth.

"Alright, you're good to go," she said in a bored voice. Why couldn't this job just pay more? She'd like to at least be free of her credit card debt. Off he went, up the stairs and down twisting hallways to finally find the children's ward in a secluded corner. He hid himself in a hidden area of Daniela's room once he had found it.

"How are you feeling, Daniela?" Abby asked. Her companion, who Hades remembered to be Agent Timothy McGee, also happened to be in here.

"As good as I can feel after getting shot twice and waking up from a coma," the girl replied from the bed.

"I've come to say...thank you. You saved my life."

"No need to thank me. I just did the right thing."

"Very true," McGee spoke up.

"Can I get some rest, please? I have physical therapy tomorrow."

"Of course!" Abby said. "See you later." They left the room. Hades internally winced when he saw they were holding hands. He followed them carefully, feeling through his pockets for the appropriate weapon. The dengue virus didn't submit her quite enough to his will. Perhaps he should try something more serious, something only he was capable of curing...Hades pulled out a vial filled with mysterious purple liquid. It was a poison he spent months trying to perfect, after Jewel had abandoned him all those years ago. It was supposed to be for Jewel, but Abby would be just as fine of a specimen. _Now, how to get this into her bloodstream?_ He thought for awhile, still following Abby. As they went into NCIS, and he circled around toward the back, he caught a glimpse of the cup in her hand, something called Caf-Pow! Now, that's an idea. He glanced at the vial again.

"Your drink is about to be a whole lot more interesting, Abigail Sciuto..." Security would be laughably easy to break through. It was that Agent Gibbs he was worried about. That man was practically a ninja. Hades decided it wouldn't hurt to push his luck.

**Line break...**

"Timmy," Abby said later that evening as they got ready to leave.

"Yes, Abs?"

"Did you notice anyone...following us today?"

"Sort of. Why?"

"No reason."

"Okay. I'm going to your place now. Are you going to be much longer?"

"No. I just need to grab one last Caf-Pow and I'll be out of here." Tim nodded in understanding then left the lab, half the lights still on. Abby turned to grab her purse, but it fell to the floor, its contents spilling all over the place. A shadow figure slipped into the lab and opened the unattended cup of Caf-Pow! Something purple was dumped into it. The cup was shaken around, and the lid quickly replaced. Abby straightened then stiffened. She knew someone was here. The figure was gone in a flash, but unfortunatly something glass smashed to the floor, alerting Abby to what was left of a strange vial. Whoever was here is gone now. She cleaned up the mess, too tired and emotionally drained to question the strangeness of this place at night. She grabbed her Caf-Pow! and turned out the lights. Now to get on home and hopefully get at least half of a night's rest.

**AN: Uh oh! What's going to happen next? Review to find out...well you're going to anyway but you know what I mean.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Me: He...hehe...**

**Abby: I suggest you stop obsessing with that. Its gone from creepy to unhealthy.**

**Me: NEVER! Besides, it's the standard of "bad fan fiction" isn't it?**

**Jared: Yo.**

**Me: OMG, you're REAL?**

**Jared: Yeah, you bought me on your perfect day from Economics, remember? The time machine?**

**Me: Dude. That was a dream.**

**Jared: I'm here, aren't I?**

**Me: Point taken. As long as you're here, Jared the zebra, make yourself useful.**

**Jared: How?**

**Me: First of all, Abby's been begging for Caf-Pow! for the last hour, but I've got no cash left. If you could just run to the store real quick and get some to last for the chapter, that would be great.**

**Jared: But I wanna party!**

**Me: Sorry. When you get back, I promise.**

**Jared: Hey, what's this?**

**Me: Nothing.**

**Jared: What's a 'disclaimer?'**

**Me: NOTHING! Give me that!**

**Jared: 'mysterywriter94...'**

**Me: Shut up!**

**Jared: 'does not own...'**

**Me: You better stop, right now!**

**Jared: NCIS. Okay. I'm done now.**

**Me: Man, I hate you.**

**Abby: That's a little harsh...**

**Me: *glares***

**Jared: I'll be right back *leaves***

**Abby: *goes back into story***

**Me: Why does he have to ruin everything? *sigh***

Abby met up with Tim at the local coffee shop after her counceling with Jewel that morning. It was still early, but already the place was starting to become a little busy. A stage sat in the corner, meant to be used Fridays and Saturdays for karaoke nights.

"So, how'd things go today?" Tim asked politely, handing Abby a Caf-Pow! which was practically tradition now that she was starting to get a little more like herself recently.

"They went okay...I finally told Jewel about how I already knew Hades before," Abby said. McGee almost choked on his latte.

"_When?_" McGee spluttered, his eyes bugging out of his head so much they looked like they were about to fall out.

"Let's see...if Jewel was the victim in high school, then I guess it was college for me."

"But-but it-I-you-"

"Tim, I repressed the memories then. That's why nothing appeared 'different' about me when we met." He nodded in understanding. Abby sighed and sipped on her Caf-Pow! for awhile, having had run out of things to say.

"Hey, Abs...do you feel alright?" Her hands felt clammy. She was white as a sheet.

"I feel sorta kinky, Timmy," Abby said uncertainly. She had no more idea than he what was wrong. But, as the seconds passed, she could sense that something was very...off about her.

"Abby, you're looking kind of green," Tim said worriedly. She stood up, intending to get out of here.

"I don't feel so..." Abby was violently sick into the closest trash can. Tim held back her hair, wondering what was wrong with her. She was fine last night.

"I'm taking you to Ducky right now," he said firmly, gently leading her out of the coffee shop. Luckily, rarely anyone noticed what had just transpired. The only one who showed any interest was the only person they didn't see: a dark figure that had been following them for the past twelve hours. He wore a long, sweeping cloak with a hood that covered his head. Intense, almost hungry eyes peered out from under the hood.

"Don't worry, we're almost to the car," Tim assured her. Abby was unable to respond. She was too busy vomiting into the bushes outside the coffee shop. She was only half aware of the drive to NCIS and the trip into autopsy. Ducky looked up upon their entrance.

"Could you get her checked out?" McGee asked anxiously. "I don't know what's wrong. Last night she was fine, I think, a little pale though, but today-" Abby ran to the sink, looking a sickly shade of green.

"Oh, dear," Ducky said. "Why don't we start off with a blood sample. Mr. Palmer?" The assistant was at his side at once.

"I'll get right on it. Abby, come with me." She nodded meekly and followed him to the table.

"Did you notice anything else out of the ordinary?" Ducky asked as Palmer started to set things up.

"Let's see...Abby told me she thought someone was in her lab last night, but couldn't find anything but a smashed vial. She didn't think anything of it, so I decided not to either. Like I said, she looked a little pale, but I didn't question that because she hasn't exactly been sleeping well due to the nightmares she has every night. Jewel said this would happen and told me to just be there for her and things would be fine."

"There we go," Palmer said, holding up a vial of dark red blood. Abby kept her eyes trained on the floor. She still looked very nauseous, weak, and lifeless in the sense as if she had been sick for a while. "I'll have this analyzed." He left the autopsy lab. Abby tried to focus on her breathing, but did not seem to be doing very well with that.

"An illness doesn't usually set in so suddenly," Ducky reasoned. "So, anything natural will have to be ruled out. It is possible that she was poisoned. It would fit with the story you gave me."

"She looks so..." Tim couldn't find a word that expressed his anxiety and worry. Ducky seemed to understand, though, and nodded in sympathy for not only Abby's suffering, but McGee's as well, because he knew how hard this was on him.

"T-Timmy," Abby whimpered. Her voice shook with unshed tears.

"Yeah, Abs?"

"I'm scared. Can I have a bucket, Ducky?" The ME obliged. Abby immediately ducked her head into the bin.

"If its poison...I hope you can figure out an antidote," Tim said just as Palmer came back in, looking shell shocked. The paper fell out of his hands. Ducky walked over and picked it up. He scanned it carefully. Almost instantly, his head snapped up. There was a look in his eyes that McGee didn't see very often: shock. Not many things surprised Ducky, given his vast medical background and advanced years.

"This is very serious, but it is a lucky thing there is something in this very room that can help Abigail." Ducky crossed over to some cabinets and started searching through them. "There is an herbal remedy I remember from one time that I traveled to South Africa which seems to work on most ailments. While that will not help us here, essentially, the plant extract will flush most poisons out of Abby's bloodstream within an hour or so." Ducky finally pulled out a bottle of pills and came back to where an even paler Abby brought her head up, looking miserable and a little wilted.

"Here, take this," Ducky instructed, handing Abby a small blue pill. "I just hope you can keep it down." Abby tossed the pill into her mouth and threw her head back, wincing a little as it went down her throat.

"I don't want to throw up anymore, Timmy," Abby said in a sullen voice.

"Shh, it's okay," Tim said softly, going over to stand behind her. He started rubbing her shoulders to keep her calm. "You're fine, I'm here..." Abby made a strange choking sound, then shuddered, setting the bin aside for now. There was a silence. Palmer took out his cell phone to make a phone call.

"I'm going outside for some fresh air." She got up and left.

"Timothy, I don't think she should be alone," Ducky said.

"I'll go get her in a minute," McGee replied.

**Line break**

Hades almost smiled. This was much too easy. He watched as Abby came outside, looking worse for wear but still tempting as ever. She instantly crawled into the grass, looking extremely sick. He was glad that he chose a poison resiliant to most drug treatments. The antidote was all the way back at his hideout, but there was a reason for that. It was all part of the incredible plan. He quickly approached her, careful to keep his face hidden. He dragged her off to the side before she could so much as look up to see who her captor was. As soon as he was out of sight, Agent McGee came onto the scene, looking all over for Abby. Hades shoved Abby into the back of his parked van and ordered her to be quiet. Then he took out some fake antidote-along with a spare real antidoe(half dose, of course) and prepared for some pointless negotiation.

"Hey, you!" Agent McGee shouted. Hades casually went over to meet the stressed agent, feeling almost bored.

"I've got a proposition for you, Agent McGee," Hades said. "Well, no, its more like a choice. Abby's life hangs in the balance, and it all depends of the choice you make to keep her alive." Tim nodded, but he obviously didn't look happy about being in this situation. _Well, who would be?_ Hades almost smiled again. He had to do something about all this unnecessarry unhappiness. He only deserved such an emotion from certain...activities.

"What do I have to do?" Agent McGee asked warily.

"One of these progresses the speed of the poison, the other will...help cure her, but only enough to put her out of danger long enough to be hospitalized." He held up the two vials. Their contents were identical. The agent examined them carefully, then pointed at one of them.

"I choose that one," McGee said. He looked sure of himself. Hades shrugged and handed it to him. His funeral. _I'm not even sure if that's the right one, since I scrambled them up so much...oh well, only one way to find out._

**Line break! Yippee!**

Tim wrenched the van door open and found Abby huddled in the back, looking only half alive. He climbed back there, the vial still clenched tightly in his fist.

"Timmy, you're here," Abby whispered.

"I'm always here, like I said. Here, drink this. It might help." Abby obeyed. Several minutes passed without anything happening.

"What was that supposed to do?"

"I don't know. Let's get out before he changes his mind, okay?" Abby was all too quick to agree to that.

"Seriously, what happened out there?"

"He made me choose between something that'll kill you and something that will save you. I don't know what I picked! You could still...die." His voice broke.

"Don't worry about me," Abby said with a small smile. "I'll be fine."

"How do you know?"

"I just do," was all she said in reply.

**Line break its a line break a real line break not something out there that's fake**

"Doctor," Jimmy called.

"Yes?"

"Have you seen this?"

"We just went over that. Over here are the chemicals in Abby's bloodstream from the poison administered-"

"No, not that...this." Jimmy pointed at a different area on the paper. "Her hormornal levels."

"Well, I didn't take a close look."

"Does this mean what I think it means?" He looked up at Ducky.

"I believe so, Mr. Palmer."

**AN: The Tiva storyline shall return soon...anyway please review!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Jared: Alright, our obsessed fan over here is all tied up.**

**Me: Mmmph!**

**Abby: Now what?**

**Jared: I was thinking of erasing **_**Degrassi**_** out of the DVR and watching **_**The Office**_** instead, what say you?**

**Abby: I've seen too many reruns...what about this?**

**Jared: You seriously want to watch **_**What Not to Wear?**_

**Abby: No no no, look below that.**

**Jared: Oh! **_**A Thousand Ways to Die**_**. I love that show! Let's watch it, then.**

**Abby: We can make fun of everyone's stupidity.**

**Jared: I'll get the popcorn.**

**Me: Mmph! *starts writing frantically on a sheet of paper and hands it to Abby***

**Abby: *ignoring paper* Crap, we forgot about the disclaimer!**

**Jared: Whatever. They know she doesn't own it. Is Tony writing the next chapter?**

**Abby: Yup. I told him it was a bad idea...I actually planned for Ziva to do it, but she wouldn't answer the phone.**

**Tony: How do you spell 'halibut', Abby?**

**Abby: Have you tried using spell check?**

**Tony: It won't recognize the word.**

**Abby: *sigh* Alright, I'm going over there.**

**Me: *struggles to free self***

**Jared: I wouldn't try that if I were you.**

**Me: *stops, then points at ignored paper***

**Jared: You want me to read that?**

**Me: *nods***

**Jared: Okay then. Um, you want us to keep the show in your DVR, and not to ever let Tony near your computer. Nope, sorry, can't do that. Now that I'm human I'm going to enjoy these opposable thumbs as much as I-**

**Me: *turns Jared back into zebra***

**Jared: You suck. FINE, I'll get you out before Abby comes back.**

"Come on, Abs, just hang in there," McGee begged as he half lead, half carried Abby into the hospital. Less than an hour had passed since the events outside the van, and she had only gotten worse. Tim knew exactly what that meant. If she wasn't treated soon, she'd die no matter what he did.

"Can't move," Abby mumbled. She collapsed onto the asphalt.

"Abby!"

**Line break**

Gibbs paced back and forth in his basement, thinking of the past month. How could everything have gone downhill so fast? One minute his surrogate daughter was fine, the next ill, and the next, taken away from him. And now he had hardly any idea what was going on with her. Ducky had left the basement moments ago after giving him the news that she would be fine, the antidote should work. So why did he still feel so restless and worried?

"Gibbs," a soft voice called. He twisted around, half expecting to see a certian redhead standing there, but instead it was Ziva who appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Is it finished?" He nodded.

"Thank you."

"I'll bring it by later." He needed something to distract himself from these thoughts.

"Tony said one in five women have a miscarriage," Ziva said, coming down the stairs. "But I'm not listening to him, because he's an idiot." Gibbs was only half listening to her. What if Abby was already dying, or dead, or maybe stuck in some limbo, unable to wake up or completely lose herself?

"Gibbs?" Ziva had finally caught onto his mood.

"Did you hear anything from Ducky?" Gibbs asked, trying not to sound desperate for news.

"No...why?"

"Abby got poisoned."

"When did this happen?"

"Last night, this morning. Ducky wasn't sure."

"I really need to get back into the loop...that is right, yes?" Gibbs nodded.

"I'm calling Ducky to see if he knows anything else."

**A LINE BREAK GOTTA HAVE A LINE BREAK**

"That was so sweet, what you tried to do," Adien said. Jewel smiled, feeling a blush starting to heat her cheeks.

"We were being stupid, weren't we?" She smiled up at him hopefully.

"Por supesto, mi novia," he responded simply.

"I love it when you speak in Spanish...if only I could understand you." Adien handed her a Spanish-English dictionary. Jewel smiled again and rifled through the dictionary, mentally stringing her next phrase together.

"Te amor," Adien said. His dark eyes were smoldering. _That means I love you,_ Jewel thought quickly.

"Here's why I said we needed a break twelve years ago," he continued. "I was learning more English on my own because I wanted to ask you something very important." Jewel looked up just as he got down on one knee. There was a small velvet box in his hand. He slowly opened it.

"Will you marry me? Por favor?" She gasped, staring at the diamond sparkling in the morning light. A prefectly cut beauty on a ring of shiny gold, the treasure of a lifetime. She nodded, too choked up to even speak. Adien slowly slipped the ring onto the ring finger of her left hand. As the cool metal made contact with her skin she felt chills run down her spine. She'd never seen that look in Hades's eyes. The look of pure adoration and love.

**Whoa a line break another line break let's rock it now yeaaah**

Daniela tried, once again, to move even a pinkie toe. Nothing happened. She sighed and wheeled herself back into the room. Despite an hour of physical therapy, she couldn't walk. Then again, these doctors weren't like the lady in _The Miracle Worker_. They had dozens of other patients and could only devote so much time to her. Besides, she was tired and ready to get some sleep for now. Maybe someday she could run again and feel the wind in her hair like she used to. McGee walked into her room just as she approached her bed.

"Hey, Daniela."

"Twice in one day?" she said, arching an eyebrow in amusement. He really did care.

"Yeah, I'm here because Abby got poisoned and I'm waiting for news."

"Poisoned?" Daniela mumbled. McGee helped her into the bed.

"We aren't sure exactly how it happened. I'll start looking for evidence soon, even though I already know who did it and why."

"Who?" Daniela asked.

"The same guy that is the reason you exist, the guy who kidnapped Abby and wrecked her emotionally." Daniela's eyes widened a minute degree. A doctor walked into the room.

"Agent McGee? We have word on Ms. Sciuto. If you would come with me. I know where her room is."

**Line break**

"I'm afraid I haven't heard anything for some time, Jethro," Ducky said. "Abigail left and Timothy went after her. They haven't returned. I'm guessing that something must have happened between them."

"I'll give McGee a call then...I'd like to know what the hell is going on. Seems like I'm always the one having to find things out these days."

"I know how that feels, Jethro. I'm sure everything's alright, otherwise we would already know, wouldn't we?" Gibbs sighed. Ducky didn't seem to be getting the point.

"I see what this is. You truly feel something's wrong, don't you? Well, why don't you act on it?"

"Working on it, Duck. I'll let you know if anything happened." He disconnected the call.

"I'll be on my way, then," Ziva said. "I think it'll be best if I make myself of use and go find Tony."

"Ya think?" Gibbs said.

**Line break, just chillin**

"We should tell Daniela," Jewel said after a time. They were lying on the beach without a care in the world, enjoying the rare moment of solitude on a sunny day in D.C. Despite the wonderful weather, though, hardly any people were on the beach.

"Right, your daughter," Adien murmured, gazing at her face.

"She'll like you, I hope," Jewel continued nervously. "Daniela has mentioned wanting a father once or twince, but I'm not sure what she thinks on the subject. She's so...quiet. I can't ever tell what she's thinking."

"Calm down, mi amor," Adien laughed. "Everything's going to be fine, trust me."


	26. Chapter 26

**Me: OH MY GOD SHE'S GONNA DIE!**

**Abby: What are you watching?**

**Me: "Bring Me to Life" music video. Oh my gosh no he dropped her!**

**Abby: You need to find better things to do...**

**Me: Whatever!**

**Disclaimer: I can do what I want with this, disclaimers are fun! I think.**

Abby wasn't released from Bethesda until three days later, instructed to rest and drink plenty of fluids until she got her strength back. Not only that, but it seemed behind the scenes of what was going on with Abby, Ziva's pregnancy, and Jewel's engagement, there was a constant charged sense of unease flowing through everyone.

Tim walked into the bullpen after making sure Abby wasn't about to go anywhere. He felt his heart jump into his throat. He just _knew_ something was incredibly wrong. Without even explaining himself, McGee ran down to Abby's lab. Sure enough, there was a heavy black cloak on the ground. Someone was here. A Caf-Pow! sat on the table. McGee considered dumping out its contents but then had a better idea.

"Let's see what you have to say about this Major Mass Spec..."

**Line break**

"Hey, Abs," Tony said, giving her a soft smile. She barely lifted up her head, that's how exhausted she was. Hospitals weren't exactly the place to get a whole ton of sleep. She knew that from experience.

"I thought it would be best to stop by...Vance told me you're running out of sick leave. SecNav's been bugging him about it. So starting next week we have to do cases again." Abby nodded, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Look, you know we won't let him hurt you again." Again, she nodded. But those green eyes, normally willing to trust anyone, were indistant and confused.

"Zi's coming by later with something to eat for you, okay? Just hang in there, sis." Tony leaned down and kissed her forehead then left the bedroom. Abby sighed and tried to get to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes she saw Hades torturing her. Making her feel...used, like a tool. For the second time she shot up out of bed and ran into the bathroom. Perhaps all this drowning in her own misery was making her sick.

Ziva walked in and briefly greeted Tony as he left, feeling bad that they haven't gotten to spend much time together lately but knowing not much could be done about it until things settled down a little. At least Tony was a good...something about it. What was the word? Spot? Spell? Sport? Yes, that was it. Sport. She wandered into the kitchen. Empty. Bedroom. Vacant. Living room, obviously...empty as well. Where was Abby? Ziva turned and saw her emerge from the bathroom.

"Hi," Abby said, her voice lacking what energy she had gained from healing and overcoming all the trauma she had endured.

"Why don't you get back in bed?" Ziva suggested. "You look dead on your legs." Abby managed a weak smile at Ziva's attempt at idioms once again, and did as she was told. Ziva waited until Abby was asleep, then wandered into the kitchen, suddenly in the mood for cooking. She hoped Abby didn't mind.

**Line break**

"Did you tell her yet?" Adien asked. Jewel nodded, and her lover sighed in relief. She knew he was just as nervous about Daniela finding out. He just so happened to be better at hiding it. Adien pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the head.

"I heard Abby was poisoned," Jewel said quietly. Lately she'd been telling him everything he missed over the past twelve years, but didn't go into great detail about what happened between her and Hades. She wasn't willing to go into that just yet.

"Is she alright?"

"I think so. I haven't heard much from any of the NCIS agents, thought. I expect it's because they're all worried and half wondering if something else is about to happen. Still, I'd like to be updated now and again." Adien nodded in understanding.

"Twelve years, huh? How's our little girl?"

"She's taking all this craziness in stride. I'm envious of how much stronger she is than me."

"Sh, don't think like that," Adien chided gently, brushing back a stray strong of hair away from her face. "You are every bit as strong as Daniela, and don't you forget it." He leaned down and kissed her on the lips, and for a while Jewel forgot her reason for ever being upset.

**Line break**

Ziva thought she could handle being around raw meat a whole lot better when the scent was mixed in with other things, so she experimented that theory by trying to make spaghetti and meatballs from scratch. She got so into the familiar rhythm of cooking that she didn't notice someone else enter the kitchen. It wasn't until she started making the sauce that she heard a noise. Panicking, Ziva's hand automatically went to her SIG, but she relaxed when the mysterious presence turned out to be Abby.

"Don't scare me like that," Ziva said. It didn't take a whole lot to scare her, but she had been caught off gaurd this time.

"Sorry," Abby muttered. "I couldn't get to sleep. Could you call Timmy for me and have him come over?"

**Line break**

"I need any recent security footage of Abby's lab," Tim said as he entered Vance's office with a faint echo of Gibbs's confidence.

"Why do you need it?" Vance asked.

"Because Hades tried to poison Abby. Again." He slammed the Caf-Pow! onto Vance's desk to prove his point.

"Hades?" How much had he missed? McGee quickly explained to the Director what had been going on lately.

"Miss Sciuto is running out of sick days, as you know," Vance said as he lead the agent to MTAC. "I will either have to let her go or force her to return, otherwise SecNav will have my head."

"How long do we have?"

"A week." McGee started to respond, but was cut off by his phone vibrating.

"Hello?"

"McGee, I'm sorry to bother but it seems Abby has a hard time getting any rest without you here."

"Ziva...really? I'm talking to the Director right now. I understand completely what you mean, and it's not that I don't sympathize, but this is extremely important."

"Well, what do I do then, if you can't come here?"

"There's a bottle of pills on the table in the living room. It'll say Ambien on the label. Those should help her get to sleep."

"Thank you." The line disconnected. His phone was put away.

"I'll handle the problem here, Agent McGee," Vance said. "Miss Sciuto needs you more than you know." He walked off before Tim could say anything in reply.

**Line break**

"Ziva, I don't want to take anymore medication," Abby sighed after she'd had some of the spaghetti for lunch.

"McGee said he was busy talking to the Director, so you're going to have to take it sometime," Ziva said. At that moment, a flash of pain flickered in Abby's eyes at the prospect of being abandoned. Again.

"I'm here," McGee called, entering Abby's apartment. Ziva sighed in relief.

"I'll get going now. I will see you both later." She gave them a small smile and left the apartment.

"No more pills?" Abby asked shyly once she was gone.

"Nope," Tim replied with a smile. "Now...what's going to help you get some sleep?" Abby giggled and blushed, showing emotion for the first time since her rescue from Hades's van three days ago.

"Get your mind out of the gutter and get into your coffin, Abs," Tim sighed, but his eyes sparked with amusement. Finally, Abby settled down and crawled into bed. She stared at the ceiling, thinking that this vicious cycle would continue for ages. But then, McGee started humming a gentle tune that almost instantly caused her to drift off.

_She wrapped her arms around herself, wondering if this is always how she would feel. Trapped. Lost. Spiriling out of control with seemingly no end to it all. She cried out for someone to save her from the physical and emotional pain but got no response. So, drowning in hopelessness, she sobbed the name of the one she loved over and over again. Then the shivers came. She tried to feel her surroundings, but couldn't get past the metal chains trapping her to this world of darkness. The shadows, blending into the endless night, wrapped themselves in places they shouldn't. And then the shadow became his hands, dirty and rough. Careless too, because she could feel the bruises being arrogantly handled like the marks meant nothing at all. They travelled down her waist. Hungry lips attacked her neck, shoulder, and cheek. This heated body was much too close to her. She knew she should be feeling something, but all sense of emotion had left her when his presence became known._

_Whatever cries she wanted to unleash from her frozen mind were torn away when she felt blood running down her legs. Lost in shock, she glanced down and realized what he had done to her. But before she could accuse him of being a monster, like a ghost, he was gone, having gotten what he wanted. There was pain, and try as she might to ignore it, the throb of bruises and ache of feeling violated was impossible to ignore for much longer. Tears streaked down her cheeks. She brought her legs up to her chest, ignoring the resulting pain of doing so. And she was still hopelessly alone, falling inside herself with no end. That feeling was the one she hated most._

"Help..." Abby moaned, curling up into a little ball. Nobody heard her desperate cry for assistance, making her feel worse than ever. She rolled over, sinking back into a restless sleep.

McGee left the kitchen with a helping of spaghetti that Ziva must have made before leaving the apartment. He paused, thinking he had heard something from Abby's room. After listening for a minute, he didn't hear anything and sat down to eat. She was probably fine...nothing to worry about. As he finished up his surprisingly elegant meal, he heard it again. A faint cry for help. Perhaps he shouldn't have ignored it the first time.

_Another silver something pierced her flesh, and she did her best not to cry out as the agony took its toll on her body. Being unconscious would be an absolute blessing, but she had to remain awake in case she had a concussion from recieving so many violent blows to the head. But none of that compared to how shockingly helpless she felt. There truly was no way out, and this would be her miserable existence for all eternity. She was expected to go to school after experiencing this? There was no way she'd find the strength to drag herself out of bed within two weeks, much less two months. She'd want to close her eyes and never wake up. But that would mean giving up. And that would mean he was right. She couldn't have that. She wouldn't have that. So she did the only thing she could: cling to life by the tiniest thread. Endure. Survive. It was the only thing she had left. He tore everything else away._

"Abs..." These choked whimpers that were barely even heard were much worse than hearing her scream. It meant she was suffering so much that she was attempting to hold back the emotion so as not to deal with it. He gently tried to shake her awake, but that didn't work. Abby was too lost in her nightmares to be woken up that easily. He tried calling to her and shaking her again, but she didn't respond. Finally, he went into the kitchen and filled a cup with ice cold water, then came back and dumped it all over her face. Abby shuddered, gasped, and opened her eyes.

"T-Timmy...am I awake?"

"Yes, Abby. You're safe now." She threw her arms around him and broke down into shuddering sobs that caused both of them to shake. He continued to comfort her for the next few hours, not leaving her for even a second.

"Don't leave me," Abby whimpered once she had calmed down.

"I won't, I won't," Tim replied. "You know that." With that reassurance in mind, Abby drifted off back to sleep much more peacefully this time. He watched as her features slowly relaxed, and the smile his words had given her didn't completely leave her face. He loved seeing Abby completely without worry and a care in the world, like she was before, but he also was aware that these moments would probably be rare for the longest time. Someone had broken his Abby almost beyond repair. He knew who that someone was. Hades. He deserved to die and be tortured. But tortured first, preferably a long time, years even. He should be brought to within an inch of his death as punishment, then locked in the chains that had trapped Abby, and probably would still trap her, for a long time coming. But he couldn't do any of that now, not when Abby needed him now more than ever. So, he'd let Hades roam free for a time, under the illusion that he was actually going to get away with his horrendous crimes. Perhaps that would work, because sometimes people preferred the illusion to reality if that was what made them feel better.


	27. Chapter 27

**Me: Never was and never will be...I love this song!**

**Abby: You love all their songs.**

**Me: So?**

**Abby: Where's Jared?**

**Me: Funny story...hehe you'll love this! You see, yesterday Jared came into my room the other day begging me to take him to the Harry Potter Wizarding World-**

**Abby: So you left him there?**

**Me: You say that like it's a bad thing.**

**Abby: Point taken there. So are we doing the disclaimer or what?**

**Me: What? But Amy Lee was supposed to come by and help me do it. She's awesome like that around her fans you know.**

**Abby: Stop fanatizing about what it'd be like to meet your hero and just say it already! I'm not getting any younger!**

**Me: Oh look there's McGee!**

**Abby: WHERE?**

**Me: *runs away***

**AN: Alright, since we've gotten this far, I'd like to thank you readers for all the support. 20 reviews, and counting(I seriously hope so). This is my third most reviewed NCIS story. Let's make it number one! That means at least 31 reviews total. 11 more!**

The next morning, things seemed to have settled down a little with Abby. She appeared to be mostly recovered from the poisoning, so he decided this was a good time to give her the unfortunate news.

"Abby?"

"Yes, Timmy?" She exited the bathroom, glad that she had hidden the sudden bout of nausea quite well by deciding to take a shower. She was now dressed in a long, flowing silky black dress that hugged her curves. The neckline dipped just below her collarbone, showing the faintest hint of cleavage. Her hair, no longer in its customary pigtails or braids, hung down in natural ringlets that flowed past her exposed shoulders. She currently had no makeup on, but that in no way degraded her exotic beauty.

"Sorry," Abby apologized. "I couldn't find anything else to wear and I ran out of hair ties for pigtails. This probably looks too dressy for you since I'm not going anywhere."

"You look perfect," Tim said, summing up his thoughts on her appearence in the only words he could find. A smile spread across Abby's face.

"Now, I'd hate to ruin the moment, but Vance said SecNav's getting on his back about you using up all your sick leave. You've only got a week left, and then it's back to work. I'm thinking we should have Jewel be your assistant from now on until we can figure out a new arrangement."

"I...get to work again?" Abby murmured, as if she had never heard of such a concept before. "Really?"

"Yeah, Abby." A hint of life came back into her eyes. It has been so long since she got to be at work with her babies and a good cup of unpoisoned Caf-Pow!

"Want to go now?" She nodded eagerly. Tim took her by the hand and they left the apartment together. The ride to NCIS was quiet, but not necessarily in a bad way. Abby was lost in thought, but for once she wasn't drifting off into a flashback or a nightmare. She was just...deep in thought about how far things had come over the weeks. She felt fragile still, but that was to be expected after everything she'd gone through.

"Alright, we're here, my dark angel," Tim said. Abby didn't respond. A major flashback swamped all coherent thought.

_Water dripped down around her lifeless body. But she wasn't dead. No, far from it. But she was actually so close to being considered dead...on the inside, anyway. The water was almost up to her chin. Fight! Escape! But she had lost the will long ago. What was the use, all which held her back were these chains? Nothing hurt, but nothing felt good either. Water touched her chin. She was running out of time...not that it mattered. Nothing mattered anymore. Except survival. Something told her that such a thing was essential. It was near her mouth. Though she was thirsty she didn't dare swallow it. Wetness surrounded her in every place possible. She struggled to breathe but didn't have much air. Running out of time. Running out of time. Running out of-_

"Abby?" Her breathing hitched and her eyes were filled with a haunted look Tim hoped to never see there again. "Come on, that isn't funny." She gripped the seat so hard that her knuckles turned bone white.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" He was starting to get worried now.

"W-Water," Abby gasped. "I'm drowning."

"Abs, you're fine. Come on, get out of the car." He held out his hand. She shook her head, her heartrate really starting to go up now. That was when he realized she was having a flashback. If she didn't snap out of this soon, she'd go into a full scale panic attack.

"Trust me, I'll keep you safe." She hesitantly took his hand, shaking violently. Tim, patient as ever, supported her weight on the way inside. Slowly, as they came into the bullpen, she began to calm down.

"I was remembering a punishment Hades gave me," Abby explained as she eased herself into Ziva's abandoned desk chair. "See, once when he came back...I sort of spit in his eye, since I still had some fight left in me." Tim didn't say anything, but just looked at her, signaling it was alright for her to continue. She sucked in a deep breath, looking a little uncertain, but willing to finish telling the story.

"There was a tank in the...room I was kept in the next moment I was aware of things. He poked a hole in it and left. Kate appeared, telling me to fight. I promised that I would, for her. Then she was gone. I was alone, surrounded by all this water getting higher and higher..." Her voice broke, but Tim could sense this tale had yet to come to a conclusion. Abby sighed, her eyes far away. She gulped and said, "Well, of course I lost consciousness sometime later. Next thing I knew, he was breathing life back into me. I never got out of those chains..." Tim took her hands in his. Ziva came back, staring suspiciously at the two of them. He ignored her.

"You don't have to worry about feeling trapped anymore," he assured her. "As long as I'm here, you'll be safer than you've ever felt." Abby hugged him tightly.

"I know, but it still feels nice hearing you say that."

"What are you doing at my desk?" Ziva asked. Abby gave the agent a look of apology and guilt, then got to her feet.

"Sorry, Ziva. Timmy and I were having a talk."

"Could you do it somewhere else?" Ziva sighed. "I'd like to be alone right now. Tony is being an idiot."

"Let's go, she's in a mood," McGee muttered. Abby nodded and followed him to the stairwell.

**Line break**

Later...

"Jethro, I assume you've heard the news," Ducky said as the silver haired man strolled in.

"What news?" Gibbs prompted.

"I heard that Abby was being forced by the SecNav to return to work early," Jimmy blurted. He blushed when Ducky looked at him.

"Why can't SecNav just be sympathetic to our situations for once?" Gibbs growled, starting to get angry.

"I suggest you speak with Director Vance on the matter. Meanwhile, I should teach Mr. Palmer a thing or two about manners." Jimmy blushed again, ducked his head, and mumbled an apology.

"By the way have you heard from-" Ducky looked around to see that Gibbs was gone. He wasn't surprised by this.

**Line break**

Daniela was making more progress than anyone had anticipated. In just a few days she was almost able to use the walker for the length of the whole room. She collapsed a few paces shy of her goal.

"You're doing good," Dr. Pitt encouraged. "Why don't you take a rest for now? I'll have Molly bring you a meal later." Daniela nodded and let him help her back into the bed. As soon as the kind doctor was gone, she pulled out _The Miracle Worker_ and started reading. Sure it was a play, but she could put the character's voices in her imagination, along with how she imagined they'd look, and see the play in her mind's eye more clearly than anything else. She didn't read more than a few scenes before a young nurse came in with a tray that had a bowl of steaming hot soup and some crackers.

"Here, you're going to need to get your strength back if you ever want to leave this place," Molly said lightly, setting the tray in front of Daniela, who sighed and set the playbook aside for now. _I just want to be left with my books...is that so much to ask? They understand me more than people ever have._ But instead of saying this, she just quietly ate her meal like a good girl, which was what everyone wanted. She swallowed the soup without tasting it and the crackers stuck in her throat. Molly took the tray from her as soon as she was done.

"What is that you're reading?" she asked, pointing at the play book set aside. Daniela told her the title.

"Sounds...inspirational," the nurse said thoughtfully. _Yeah, I believe you would know...I can't even walk without assistance!_ Daniela just smiled, hiding her thoughts behind blank eyes as always. Nobody understood. Not even her own mother. _All I have are these books, emotionless things. Sometimes I wonder if, behind my back, they question me, too? If they...don't believe?_ A lone tear slipped down her cheek. These circling thoughts were getting her nowhere but she couldn't stop them now. Then an unfamiliar figure appeared in the doorway.

"Hi, Daniela. I'm going to be your stepfather." For the first time in her life, Daniela was actually shocked, and had no idea what to expect.


	28. Chapter 28

**AN: To those who were still confused, here is a link to what Abby's dress from Chapter 27 looks like(see below). Um, I was originally going for something similar to the dress Amy Lee wore in the table shots during the music video "Call Me When You're Sober" but I can't find it...so here's a similar one. ****.com/imgres?q=amy+lee+call+me+when+youre+sober+black+dress&hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=YklnStPYHP7LJM:&imgrefurl=.net/u/2313957/Alice_Cullens_best_friend_x&docid=FUUbtjA03EjjjM&w=268&h=400&ei=gAhcTpqyKNGXtwe9yt26DA&zoom=1&chk=sbg&iact=hc&vpx=701&vpy=119&dur=14247&hovh=274&hovw=184&tx=105&ty=170&page=17&tbnh=118&tbnw=81&start=372&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:372&biw=1366&bih=566**

**Check out the video for the actual dress...you'll see it best in the part where Amy walks across the table with the chairs flying back.**

**Abby: Seems like you went to a lot of trouble here.**

**Me: The dress HAPPENS to be similiar to Amy's. It was a coinci-**

**Abby: Don't say that word!**

**Me: Co-in-ci-de-nce! COINCIDENCE!**

**Abby: Okay now you're dead!**

**Me: Can't I do the disclaimer first?**

**Abby: Nope, sorry, should've thought of that sooner. Now Bellisarius is gonna sue your sorry a-**

**Me: Language!**

**Abby: ...fine get it over with, then!**

**Disclaimer: If only life could be as "eternal" as it seemed...**

"Who are you?" Daniela whispered nervously, reaching for the call button by her bed. The man smiled and entered the room. He appeared to be harmless...

"I'm sorry to frighten you like this. I thought I'd introduce myself to you before the wedding that's in a couple weeks. My name is Adien, and I'm from Venezuela and only recently became a U.S. citizen." Daniela nodded slowly, her eyes becoming slightly less fearful. Adien noticed they looked nothing like her mother's. He wondered who the father was, before remembering Jewel's brief story on Hades. _Maybe there's a reason I wasn't told everything..._

"Hey. I wouldn't intentionally cause you any harm," he continued when she didn't say anything. "I'll try to understand you. I can't promise I will all the time, but I'll try. Your mother says you're...different. Withdrawn. I know we only just met, but do you trust me enough to tell me why?" Daniela slowly looked back up at him. For the first time, her mask fell away, and Adien was able to see a haunted pain lingering in those blue orbs much too adult for her age. At first he thought she was going to order him to leave. But then, she sighed, holding back tears.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone," Daniela murmured.

**Line break**

"So, if we scan this..." Jewel's voice faded in and out as Abby tried her best to focus. Images of the past flashed in her mind, and the fear seemed to be making her sick, for she felt nauseous again. She suddenly wished she hadn't eaten breakfast that morning. She could practically feel it coming back up her throat.

"Abby?"

"Huh?" She snapped out of her trance long enough to look at Jewel.

"I know I made a mistake, and that was foolish of me. I was offered a lot of money to keep an eye on you from someone. I didn't recognize the patterns...and I'm sorry for that."

"It's fine," Abby mumbled, lost in a terrible flashback and trying to focus on not throwing up at the moment, not even hearing what Jewel had said. She trembled slightly from the effort of ignoring her chrning stomach that just wouldn't behave itself. _Oh no. Not again._

"...okay?" There was a ringing in her ears. Abby ran out of the lab.

**Line break**

"So, you're that far along already?" Tony said to Ziva. They were over near the head. Abby almost ran into Tony headed for the bathroom. Ziva stared after her, looking concerned.

"Zee-vah?"

"How could you have missed that?"

"Oh yeah, Abby's being pretty weird. Must mean things are getting back to normal." Ziva sighed and decided to let it go. But she couldn't stop wondering what was wrong with Abby.

"Come on. We've got a case to get closed." Ziva nodded and followed him back into the bullpen, thinking it best to forget about Abby for now. She'd find out the mystery later. It was easier than she thought to just focus on work.

**Line break**

"How is Miss Sciuto?" Vance inquired upon entering the bullpen. "I already told SecNav we did as was asked."

"I checked on her earlier today," Gibbs said. "She seemed fine. A little shaken from this morning, though."

"Yes, you did tell me a little bit about what happened," the Director said. Tony and Ziva were in the midst of arguing about something. Vance listened in, feeling curious all the sudden.

"Well, I don't think anything's wrong!" Tony insisted.

"I do!" Ziva hissed. "She looked like...like she was about to be sick. How is that normal?"

"Fine, go talk to her, then. But I know Abby well enough to assume that she won't tell you what's going on."

"What's going on here?" Vance interrupted. They both looked up, ending their argument on the spot.

"Saw Abby headed for the head," Tony said. "About five minutes ago." Gibbs stood up and headed in that direction without a word.

**Line break**

"Unngh...all my insides are coming out," Abby moaned. She leaned over the toilet again, feeling beyond miserable. Finally, it seemed her stomach was empty. She cleaned herself up and was at the sink looking down when she sensed another presence in the restroom.

"I'm fine, Gibbs," Abby said wihout turning around or moving.

"Don't think that's true," Gibbs said, approaching her. "Are you sick?"

"Not anymore."

"Go see Ducky."

"I'm _fine_, Gibbs," Abby insisted.

"Just talk to Ducky for me." He had that look in his eyes again, the one that said 'don't argue with me' which is the one Abby definitely couldn't look away from. It reminded her of being a child again. Was that all she would be seen as in Gibbs's eyes?

"I'll go." That being said, Abby did as she was told.

**AN: I'll have to cut it off here because I need to get my hair and makeup done for my senior picture today.**


	29. Chapter 29

**AN: SO SORRY! I screwed up the freakin' link...um anyway I'm back, and we're picking up right where we left off...by the way I'm not a doctor so I probably won't get all this right. I'll try to make myself seem like I know what I'm talking about.**

**AN 2: 5,000 hits and 22 reviews. WOW those are impressive numbers so far!**

**Disclaimer: Saying that I own this would be a lie.**

"I already know what is going on with you," Ducky said when Abby finished telling her story.

"Come again?" She was confused now. Ducky just nodded to Jimmy, who scrambled quickly though a sizable stack of papers for something.

"Do you remember when you got poisoned?" Abby nodded, wincing at the memory of it despite the fact she hadn't been in danger for all that long. Then again, being poisoned in the first place was never a pleasent experience, so the ME couldn't blame her reaction one bit. Finally, the clumsy Jimmy Palmer pulled out a sheet of paper with a list of chemicals on it.

"I tested Abby's blood for abnormalities, and as you know, the poison showed up," Jimmy explained in a rushed voice. "But, something else was here too...your hormonal levels, the estrogen was a lot higher than it should be." It took all of three seconds for Abby to comprehend the extent of what Hades had done to her.

"I'm carrying the devil's sprawn," Abby said in a choked whisper. For once, everyone knew what she was talking about.

**Did you know how funny the word digny sounds if you say it over and over out loud? Dingy dingy dingy dingy...hehehe that sounds so weird! Okay I'm done. Dingy. Oops that slipped out.**

"You have my undivided attention," Adien declared, checking to see if the coast was clear. Daniela gave him a grim smile.

"You may want to sit down for this." She gestured to the chair next to her bed. He sat down carefully, as if trying not to disturb any part of the innocent plastic object.

"I was very young," Daniela began, "just five years old. I remember it was a few months into school, so nearly winter. A boy sweet talked me into being coaxed off to the side. Then he hit me over and over. I didn't think much of it other than bullying. My foolishness was that I let other boys hurt me too, in later years: third grade, and then fifth grade. But what happened less than a year ago was what caused me to truly be who I am now. Let's just say I was lucky to get away before it could happen to me multiple times." Daniela pulled up her shirt. Her stomach was riddled with scars.

**Ding Dong the line break is dead! The awful line break, the evil line break!- The Wizard of Line Break Oz**

"Has anyone seen Abby?" Jewel asked upon entering the bullpen later that day. Nobody seemed to know, not even Ducky, though he said he had seen her, just not within the past hour or so.

"Try tracing her cell," Tim suggested from over by Tony's desk.

"I like these names," Tony said, pointing at the computer screen. Ziva sighed.

"That one is ridiculous," Ziva argued in a frustrated tone.

"You said you liked it two seconds ago," Tony reminded her.

"Well, I don't anymore!" the ex-Mossad snapped angrily. Tony merely shrugged and took a sip of his coffee.

"Maybe Abby went home," Tony said a few minutes later when Jewel hadn't moved from her position by the elevator.

"She wouldn't leave without me," Tim replied snippily, stealing some whipped cream from Tony's latte.

"Could someone trace Abby's phone for me?" Jewel requested politely. "I don't know her number." Ziva swiftly strode to her computer and started typing.

**It's a small world after all, It's a small world after all...whatever you do, don't watch Nyan cat(the ten hour version) unless YOU HAVE NO LIFE and like torture.**

_Is this really happening? Is this real? Oh, of course it is. Only my pain could actually be this real without killing me._

More tears slid down her cheeks, and she felt herself falling away even more. It didn't seem to matter so much where she was. The bump wasn't even existent yet. How could she have missed such a possibility?

_This child doesn't deserve the life I've lived! But I can't kill him/her! What do I do? The child can't grow up not knowing its mother. That is a crime I'm not willing to commit. But-oh, the memories! I can't taint something so innocent with my tragic past and present! The child would be better off dead than knowing who its father happens to be!_

A turn of the heel. NCIS was in sight once more. Someone was approaching her. Who was it...it looked like-

"Timmy!" Abby breathed, relieved to see a familiar face as a distraction from her thoughts.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Just had some thinking to do." She couldn't bear to tell him the news. McGee seemed to accept the half-truth. They came back inside together.

"Jewel already finished up what you started and is willing to work for the rest of today. Vance and SecNav were willing to compensate by giving you half days to ease you back into the routine of working for now."

"That's great," Abby said, not really listening.

"Good." McGee smiled. They entered the bullpen. Gibbs looked up, his face evidently filled with relief.

"What do you want to do tonight?" Abby asked McGee before Gibbs could come over and question her.

"Abs, I have a meeting with my publisher about my next book," Tim said. "Sorry...can't do anything much. Ziva will be over to watch you, though." _I don't need a babysitter!_ Abby thought, the idea seeming repulsive all the sudden. She swallowed her intense, almost uncontrollable anger, and tried to smile at him. It came off as a grimace.

"I'm sorry, but I can't get out of this tonight even if I tried." Normally, Abby would just shrug it off, but she couldn't control her anger and disappointment, so she said something else instead.

"Well, try harder!" She could feel everyone staring at her but the part of her that was angry didn't really care.

"I'm doing the best I can to take care of you," Tim said. "How could you say such a thing, after all I've done for you? I don't have to be so patient, but I am, because I love you, and I believe in you." In a normal situation she'd instantly sober. Instead Abby instantly became hurt. Tears stung her eyes. She dissolved into tears and sprinted to the elevator. There was a long silence afterward.

"Oh, _I'm_ the bad guy," McGee snapped when he met Tony's accusing gaze.

"You tell me," was all Tony said in reply.

"Where did she go?" Gibbs asked, looking about ready to go after Abby.

"She has not left the building," Ziva said. "Do not worry. I think Ducky will be able to find her."

**Too early to be so creative...bleh...oh look a pair of random sunglasses!**

_Space...so small! Got to get out! Someone get me out! Why can't anyone hear me? Help! Help! Somebody...help!_

Abby stumbled blindly, gasping for air. It was so hot in here. She had to get out. But there was no way out. The hallway seemed to stretch on and on in front of her. Everything started to look a little blurry and tilted. She tried to reach for the closest wall but her hand only closed on air.

"Help," Abby tried to call but her scream came out as a choked whisper of pure fright and panic. Again, she stumbled, and she flailed her arms out for any kind of support but just kept on falling, falling, falling...into nothingness. Finally, after what felt like an age she felt something solid and flat in front of her. A wall, at last. A shake of the head, and she continued on her journey, focused entirely on the goal of escaping.

"Help!" Her cries were going unheard. She was all alone. Hopeless, helpless, and forever trapped in the hallway closing in on her.

**Watermelons, three dollars! Get your nice, delicious watermelons, sold by these kind Mexicans hanging out in my neighborhood! At least I think they're kind. Well, they must be, for three dollars for the huge melon is quite the deal...**

"Jimmy, would you mind asking the Director if Abigail was coming in today?" The assistant nodded and left autopsy. The hallway was quite chilly. Jimmy couldn't help but shiver a little as he searched for an elevator. Before he could so much as take a few steps, he heard the familiar ding of an elevator, followed by a brief silence. Someone arrived on this floor. Perhaps it was Director Vance. Jimmy did his best to look presentable, thinking that he was headed this way right now. But nobody came.

"Hello?" Jimmy called softly. It was like a ghost had come to visit. Then he heard someone round the corner. What he saw was something he'd never forget.

"Help," Abby croaked. She stumbled and fell into the wall, taking much longer than she should to find reassurance in the solid object. She shook her head, as if that wasn't what she wanted to happen.

"Help!" she cried out again. She was breathing very quickly and her eyes wheeled around the hallway in fright. She didn't seem to see him.

"Hang in there, I'm going to get Doctor Mallard," Jimmy said, not sure how exactly to help her.

**I like cheesesticks. Can I have one please? :)**

"Wait...she's not moving," Ziva said, staring at her computer screen.

"Where is she?" McGee asked, coming up behind her.

"Just outside autposy. See, that's her number."

"I know how a tracker works, Ziva. I just want to know why she's just standing there."

"Try being patient, McGee." She spun around her chair, her eyes scanning across the bullpen. "Tony! Where is my Boston cream pie yogurt?" McGee rolled his eyes.

"Hang on!" Tony said, coming out of the elevator. "What did you say that you wanted with it?"

"Chocolate sprinkles," Ziva replied. "And pistachios." Tony nodded and left the bullpen again.

"Where is Miss Sciuto?" Vance demanded, appearing on the catwalk.

"Ask Ducky," McGee said without looking up.

"Good, Ducky's taking care of her...she's headed striaight inside now," Ziva announced in relief. "If I were you, I'd apologize to her." Tim nodded.

"I know. I feel pretty terrible for talking to Abby like that. I'll be right back. Don't change cravings before Tony gets back. He has a hard enough time already."

"I can't exactly control a good part of what happens during a pregnancy, McGee," Ziva said with a small smile. "But I won't mess with him, if that's what you mean."

**Beep...beep...beep-*throws alarm clock across the room* SHUT UP!**

"Shouldn't have gone into the elevator," Abby murmured once she had calmed down and been given a strong cup of tea.

"I'm glad you tried to come find me," Ducky said.

"I wasn't going anywhere in particular."

"I see." Abby shivered despite the fact she was holding a hot cup of tea.

"Will you be going to see a doctor soon?" Jimmy asked after a silence.

"I don't really want anyone finding out yet."

"You will have to eventually," Ducky pointed out. Abby sighed, seeing she had no choice but to agree with him. At that moment, McGee ran into the room, sighing in relief at the sighe of his girlfriend sitting there with a half finished cup of tea.

"I'm so sorry," McGee blurted.

"It's fine," Abby said quietly. "I think I'll go now, Ducky." She finished off her tea and left with McGee.

"You okay?" She nodded.

"Good, let's get you back into your lab, then..."

"I don't want to be alone!" Abby exclaimed.

"Who said you were going to be alone?" She smiled a little, despite herself.

**Boom boom pow! Boom boom pow! Uh I don't know. Don't know the words! Haha!**

"That was very brave of you," Adien said once Daniela had showed him where all her marks were. "Were you, um..."

"Yes."

"Did you ever go to counceling?" She shook her head.

"Does your mother know?" Slowly, she nodded.

"Everything?"

"No," Daniela mumbled. "She doesn't know the...the last part."

"You have to tell her, you know. I'm sure she'll understand."

"I'll try." Adien got up to leave.

"I'm glad you're going to be my stepfather." She gave him a small smile.

"I'm proud to already call you my stepdaughter," Adien replied sincerely.

"That means so much," Daniela whispered, showing tears for the first time.

"Every girl deserves to have a father." She thought about that statement for a long time after he was gone. For the first time in her life, she wondered who her birth father was. Her mother had never even mentioned him. Did he ever love her, or know her at least? _Why didn't he care enough to at least find me?_ So, after an hour or more if going through those same thoughts over and over again, she dialed her mother's cell phone number.

"Hello? Daniela? Is everything alright?"

"I want to know who my father is."

**Should I continue? Or would you hate me?**

**...**

**...**

**Okay, a little more, then! I feel generous.**

"Your father?" Jewel exclaimed. When did Daniela ever think up such a question?

"It's okay if you don't know where he is. I just want to know his name." Jewel remained silent for several moments, debating on whether this was a good idea or not.

"Mom?" _Oh God, she hasn't called me that for so long. She must really want this information._ That seemed to be the deciding factor.

"Your father's name is Hendrick," Jewel replied, deciding it best to use his unconventional name, the one with fewer memories tied to it.

"Okay. What was he like?" Jewel winced. She knew that this was going to be hard. Why couldn't Daniela just be one of those children that never got too curious?

"He wouldn't have ever made a very good father for you. Be glad you never knew him. I'll let you get some rest now, honey. Don't strain yourself during physical therapy tomorrow. I'm coming to visit tomorrow afternoon." She hung up before Daniela could question her further.

**You're not the only one who happens to enjoy reading these line breaks.**

"I'll get you some water, okay? Tony's going to be here-oh hello." Tony appeared in the doorway, grinning foolishly.

"How's our Abby doing?" Empty eyes looked up at him. But upon recognizing him some life came back into them.

"I'm...fine," she said with a wince. It was clear that she was lying. Tony decided it was best for him to say nothing about it. McGee left the lab unnoticed. A few minutes passed in silence. Tony noticed she wasn't playing any music. That meant something was wrong. Well, more wrong than usual in this case.

"So, what's been going on with you lately?" Abby shrugged.

"Come on, tell me. I promise I'll keep it a secret even from Gibbs. I just want to see you smile again." She looked around the lab.

"You have to swear on your life not to tell anyone," Abby said after she had made sure they were completely alone.

**Line break line break line break**

It didn't take McGee all that long to get a waterbottle and come back down to the basement level where Abby's lab happened to be located. He almost skidded into the wall in his hurry to make it back. But he stopped just outside the lab upon hearing voices.

"You have to swear on your life not to tell anyone," he heard Abby say. _Abby's keeping some sort of secret! But what?_ McGee thought quickly, but came up with nothing.

"You have my word," Tony promised.

"Well, Gibbs knew something was wrong with me, so he made me go see Ducky since that's what he does with all of us when we feel...hinky."

"Go on."

"I went down there...and Ducky said he already knew what was wrong with me before I told him very much."

"He happens to be like that sometimes."

"But it was more than that, shockingly. You see, when I got poisoned, Ducky must have kept that paper with the results of my blood test for some reason."

"Blood test?"

"Jimmy gave Ducky the paper...and he said my estrogen levels were abnormal."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm pregnant, Tony."

"Oh...well, who's the father?"

"Its not that hard to figure out once you think about what I've been through." Tim froze. _Abby's pregnant. Abby was raped and now she's pregnant. Oh my God history is repeating itself._

**AN: That's all for now, folks! Stay tuned for the next chapter, press that blue button below and be on your merry way! No, seriously. That's the last of the chapter. You can close out now.**

**Abby: They're not clueless, you know.**

**Me: Where've you been?**

**Abby: Sleeping...you started typing this thing so early!**

**Me: It's three o'clock now.**

**Abby: You were up before six.**

**Me: What happened to you never sleeping?**

**Abby: I decided to actually try doing that.**

**Me: Of all the excuses you had to use...what's that in your hand?**

**Abby: You'll see...**


	30. Chapter 30

**Me: abbysciuto900, you have got to be one of my most favorite reviewers ever! You've reviewed the most, I think.**

**Abby: What does that say about everyone else?**

**Me: I..I don't want to be mean! It's quality, not quantity!**

**Abby: Fair enough.**

**Ziva: Has anyone seen Gibbs?**

**Gibbs: Behind you.**

**Abby: *yelps* Gibbs! You scared me!**

**Disclaimer: Gibbs has the wrath of a super awesome ninja. If only I owned said ninja skills there would be no need for me to be afraid of anything.**

McGee tried to wait through the week to see if Abby would be willing to discuss what she had shared with Tony, but she just acted the same as always. The case was eventually solved, but now things were running quite slowly today. It was Friday, and it was late afternoon. Tony played with a ping pong ball and paddle, occassionally chasing after the ball whenever he missed the paddle. Ziva was currently eating a raw pickle for a snack.

"I can't take this anymore," Tim sighed, putting his head in his hands.

"What is wrong?" Ziva asked, finishing off her pickle.

"I know what secret Abby's been keeping from me but she won't talk to me about it." Tony dropped his paddle in surprise and scrambled to retrieve it. Ziva opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by her desk phone ringing.

"Hello? Yes, I'll come in on Monday morning. Thank you. I'll see you then. Good-bye." She hung up. Tony didn't react, but merely returned to his silly game. Tim, on the other hand, looked suspicious.

"I have a doctor's appointment," Ziva explained.

**Listen listen listen to the rain...can you hear it?**

"When will you tell Timothy the truth?" Ducky asked when Abby lifted her head to breathe. She shook her head and cleaned up the mess.

"I can't have him worrying about me anymore than he already is," she said once the sink was rinsed out and a mint was put in her mouth.

"If you don't want to tell him...what are you going to do once you start showing?" For that, Abby had absolutely no answer.

**SO MANY LINE BREAKS! THEY'RE GONNA TAKE OVER! OH NOES!**

Daniela hissed at the pain of being on her feet. But she was determined to walk on her own, so she did her best to ignore it. She shuffled forward a few steps with the walker as instructed. Then, entirely to Dr. Pitt's surprise, she let go. Daniela swayed. Her knees nearly buckled underneath her. But she was standing all on her own.

"I think that's enough for-"

"No," Daniela interrupted. "I want to try this." She took a step away from the walker with much difficulty. She imagined the pain was passing on to whoever had given her all the suffering from such a young age until now. _This is for you, Dad. No matter what Mom thinks of you, I don't believe you're entirely a bad person._

**This and that and a little of these...but NOT SO MUCH MUSTARD! STOP ITS JUST A HOTDOG!**

Jewel took this moment to remember her first husband. They had only been married a month before he got murdered. Then when she started college, she met Hades. That was a mistake she'd regret for the rest of her life. But if she hadn't met him, Daniela wouldn't exist. _Is that a good thing or a bad thing?_ As long as Daniela didn't know who her father really was, living like this didn't seem like such a bad idea. But she couldn't keep her only daughter from the truth forever.

**I'm blue, da ba dee da ba die, If I was green I would die, I really want some pie, I'm in need of a guy...it all sounds the same in the song, don't you think?**

"Abby, we need to talk," Tim said. She spun around, having already tossed out the empty water bottle just moments before.

"Sure, let's talk then."

They entered the conference room, a place made for conversation almost as often as the residential elevator.

"So, what's up?" Abby asked once they were alone in the conference room.

"I heard what you told Tony." Abby was silent for a moment before recovering enough to respond.

"I was afraid we were going to have this conversation," she murmured at last. "Look, I don't want your pity. What's done is done. This child deserves to know the...evil people are capable of. Everyone's innocence is corrupted at some point. I just don't want him or her to learn it the hard way, or at least not the way I did."

"Abs-"

"I'm not finished! This kid needs to know this stuff so he or she can prevent it from happening to other people! Nobody deserves that kind of torture, and anyone who delivers it more than deserves to rot in hell." Her eyes were burning with that familiar fire of determination. Emerald irises burned striaight into his skull, desperate for him to understand. _I think I love you even more, now, even in your moments of intensity._

"Abby-"

"_What_?" she growled.

"I agree with you."

"Oh...you do?"

"Yeah. I think we should raise the child together."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as you are, which seems to be pretty certain."

"Just say yes," Abby sighed, surpressing a laugh.

"Yes," Tim said with a small chuckle. "Now, come on. Gibbs will be wondering where we are."

**In my field of paper flowers...**

Later that same day Gibbs suspected something between Abby and McGee had changed. They were certainly getting along a whole lot better. He could even see Abby smiling a little bit at a joke Tony told.

"I love it when you smile," McGee said. Abby flushed a deep scarlet and ducked her head. Ziva smild a little, coming back from the head.

"Hey, did you hear the one about..." And so the afternoon continued. Eventually, Jewel, Ducky, and even Palmer came into the bullpen to join in on the fun. Gibbs watched them, barely noticing when Vance appeared on the catwalk to see what was going on.

"No, no remember, it was Ziva who said that!" Tony said. At this, McGee started laughing his head off. Ziva rolled her eyes, not impressed.

"Oh, yeah, and then didn't I come in at that point?" Abby asked. Tony nodded, apparently eager to get on with his story.

"You came in wearing that Halloween outfit we had seen earlier."

"Was it Marilyn Monroe?" Jimmy questioned. Abby looked at him. Jimmy coughed and glanced away.

"Unfortunately, no. That was the year Abby decided to go all out and try her own version of Bloody Mary. Scared the hell out of Vance. Of course after that she was forced to get into normal clothes." At this McGee laughed again. Normal clothes?

"Well, normal for her," Tony ammended. Jewel jumped up suddenly and excused herself to make a phone call.

"This reminds me of a time back when Timothy was just a young agent here," Ducky mused. He launched into a tale that greatly interested Palmer.

"Tony, don't you think something is different about Abby?" Ziva asked quietly now that things were settling down. Vance came down the stairs, still unnoticed by everyone except Gibbs.

"I don't think, I know," he told her. Abby and McGee exchanged a glance.

"Timmy, I'll tell her." Abby faced Ziva, looking very serious.

"Turns out Hades did more than just rape me multiple times, Ziva. He got me pregnant." Ziva remained calm, evidently unsurprised at this news. It wasn't as if any protection was used.

"Are you sure?"

"Well, Tim was all 'wait until we're married, so I doubt he went against my wishes and satisfied whatever needs he had in bed." McGee tried to look everywhere but at Abby or Ziva.

"What?"

"Nothing..."

"Gibbs," Vance said, startling several of the agents sitting in a circle.

"What do you want, Leon?"

"In my office, now."

"What do you have to say to me that can't be said here?" Gibbs demanded.

"Can't you just obey an order for once in your life?" Vance sighed. Gibbs shrugged and followed the Director upstairs without another word.

"So, what's this about?" the silver haired man asked once they were alone.

"I understand Miss Sciuto has decided to come back a week early with some special arrangements to work with her...situation."

"Yeah?"

"I hope you know that doesn't mean certain exceptions will be made. Sympathy can stretch only so far. SecNav is well aware of what is going on here, as I've kept him as updated as possible."

"What exceptions are you talking about?"

"Just because Miss Sciuto was kidnapped, tortured, and poisoned it doesn't mean she is unable to make a statement in court." Gibbs knew where this was headed. Abby would have to tell everyone what happened, word for word, no matter how she felt about it. And she couldn't even stand being in a long hallway.

"Gibbs, I need to know that I've got your word that this will happen. We can't have Miss Sciuto arriving uninformed of this."

"When?"

"Two months from now."

**Look, WHALES!**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**Psyche!**

"I'm going outside," Daniela said to Dr. Pitt. He nodded and stepped aside so she could leave the room, using her walker once again. Her legs felt like rubber, but she decided that she might as well get used to the feeling.

She came out to a little courtyard where an elderly couple was talking and feeding any nearby birds. Feeling exhausted, Daniela sat down on the bench next to them and just looked around for a while. It was very peaceful here. Nothing but the occassional seagull, some modest sized oak trees, and flowers she had never seen before. Yet, it was the simplicity of it all that made it the best place to relax. She didn't know how long she rested, but it was long enough for the elderly couple to leave and an unknown man that looked vaguely familiar sit beside her.

"Pretty crazy, isn't it?" the stranger said. Daniela nodded, not sure what to say to that. The man looked around briefly then finally made eye contact with her. She took in a breath of shock. His eyes were exactly like hers, and his nose, and the bone structure of his jaw was even somewhat similar.

"What's wrong? Hey...you look familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before?" Daniela rapidly shook her head, starting to become afraid.

"Huh. I could've sworn..." He laughed a little. "I must be crazy then, right?"

"Are you my father?" She almost instantly regretted the question.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I've only had my mother, and I recently started wondering where I belonged, because that is what kids do. Question and wonder about the world. At least, the kids I know anyway. I normally don't do such things or stoop to the level of asking questions. It isn't my style."

"I don't remember having a daughter." Daniela tried to shove away the disappointment.

"That's alright. Sorry to bother you, sir." She got up to leave, leaning heavily on the walker.

"Wait a second. I think I have seen you before."

"Really? Where?"

"NCIS."

**AN: So Daniela finally knows who her father is..someone is about to get an angry phone call! Will Abby agree to make the statement in court? Will Tony stop goofing off? Will Ziva end up being a good mother? Will I stop asking annoying questions? Review to find out, and stay tuned!**


	31. Chapter 31

**Me: I'd like to thank the Academy...**

**Abby: What are you doing?**

**Me: Writing my speech.**

**Abby: For what? You hate public speaking.**

**Me: *sticks out tongue* So? I can't have an imagination?**

**Abby: Well-**

**Me: I'm writing this for when I when the contest abbysciuto900 was kind enough to tell me about.**

**Abby: You talk to her way too much.**

**Me: And you're still here because...?**

**Abby: NaNoWriMo will be here before you know it, why don't you go ahead and practice with this wonderful story?**

**Me: If that were the case, I would have already won.**

**Abby: ...I'll just stop talking now.**

**Me: Smart of you, Caf-Pow! addict.**

**Abby: I'm not that addicted.**

**Me: There are ten empty cups on the floor from just in the past hour.**

**Disclaimer: We interrupt this program to tell you that mysterywriter94 is talking to herself in this case. Abby Sciuto, unfortunately, does not exist in all the dictionary definitions of the term. However, as a character, she is very much alive and well. But that does not mean mysterywriter owns her.**

**Me: That is one long disclaimer. Hope people paid enough attention to know what it actually means. Oh, and hey readers. If you guys aren't already aware about NaNoWriMo, go to the website now and check it out. November is Nationion Novel Writing Month, hence the name of the site. I don't want to keep you from this chapter by babbling on and on about it, so I'll just say it is a great opportunity for those of you who pride in your length of stories, and not its quality. It'll be pretty fun, trust me.**

**Abby: And now back to your regular scheduled program...**

_Line break_

No. Daniela let go of the walker and stumbled backwards. This...monster could not possibly be her father! Not the one who tried to kill her mother!

"Get away from me!" Daniela said in a low voice, which was her version of being freaked out. Even in this moment of vulnerbility her walls didn't fall.

"I just wanted to ask you someth-"

"No," Daniela interjected. "I can't trust people like you, like anyone. Get out of here. I will call for the doctors and they can escort you out."

"Why is it such a big deal for you? Its not like you know Jewel," the man said.

"She's my mother!" Instantly she realized that she had made a huge mistake.

"Is she now?" He smirked. There was a longing look in his eyes. He wanted something from her. But someone else had already taken what he wanted. This monster was too late for her innnocence.

"Yes, now go away!" Daniela limped inside. A hand grabbed her ankle, and she fell to the ground just outside the door.

"I don't think so...after all, dearest daughter, we've only just gotten to know one another." She tried to stuggle out of his grasp.

"I know your childhood has already been destroyed. I can see it in your eyes. But I can save you." She shook her head, still struggling. Such lies. She'd never believe them.

"Your mother shouldn't have lied to you. But I know the truth. She lies to everyone." More lies. But why was she starting to believe this person she had never even met? She never even knew his name. It was something in his voice, those eyes, the way he held her down with no regard for any pain, that made him impossible to refuse anything, however small.

"Help!" Daniela called. She had never called for help before in her entire life. But now times were desperate. He was beginning to drag her away from the door. Nobody heard her cry. Daniela felt numb. Rough hands yanked her up. She fell limp against him, too weak to stand anymore. Something sharp pierced her neck. Her eyes rolled back and she knew no more.

**Hello, goodbye, and see ya later!**

Jewel snapped her head up. There was an intense look of worry in her normally hard to read amber eyes.

"Something's wong. I'm going to Bethesda right now." Nobody made a move to stop her.

"I can feel it too," Abby said. "I hope Daniela's okay."

"Don't worry so much," McGee told her. "I think you've got enough on your plate."

**Life is a stage. Are you the actor or the audience?**

She had to hurry. _Hurry, hurry!_ her mind screamed as Jewel made a squealing turn than nearly caused an accident on the highway. Almost there. But she just knew that it was possible for someone like her to be too late...no, she wouldn't think like that! Daniela had to be fine! Her only daughter! The car screeched to a stop, leaving behind intense tire tracks worthy for a crime scene. Jewel leaped out the door and barely took the time to let it fall shut behind her. She sprinted inside and asked Dr. Pitt where Daniela was, who was standing in the loby giving some bad news to a sobbing pregnant woman.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but...hello, Miss Manchester. No, I'm afraid that I haven't seen Daniela. But I know she did go outside. Check the garden out back." Jewel nodded and ran off in search of the back exit. _Faster, faster, Jewel! Come on! You've got to better than that!_ She shook off the voice that sounded like an echo of Hades's and just focused on pouring on the speed. She was a really great runner, but now she practically had to be champion level in order to get there in time. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, assisting her in the task. She heard a soft call for help, and that was when she knew that she was getting close. Jewel continued sliding down hallway after hallway. This hospital was a maze. She was hopelessly lost. But then she finally found the door. She slowed to a jog and came out into the garden Dr. Pitt had mentioned. Hades held a lifeless Daniela in his arms and he was carrying her to his navy blue van.

Without a signle hesitation, Jewel ran up and kicked at his legs, sending him crashing to the ground. She swiftly scooped Daniela up into her arms and stomped on Hades's face. Blood gushed from his nose and he groaned in pain. She smirked in satisfaction and started to half carry, half drag Daniela back inside. Unfortunately, Hades chose that moment to get back to his feet, rather unsteadily, though.

"Jewel," Hades said, his voice clogged up due to his broken nose. "Baby, come on."

"Don't call me that," Jewel snapped. She was almost to the door, but the adrenaline was wearing off. Soreness creeped into her muscles, making it harder to focus.

"But-"

"You are insane. Go to a mental hospital or something." It was a statement she'd regret for the rest of her life.

"Don't. You. Dare. Go. There!" Hades ground out between his gritted teeth. He yanked Jewel away from the door, causing Daniela to fall to the ground.

"You are mine," he breathed in her ear. "I won't lose you again."

**I got the moves like Jagger, I got the moves like-oh crap now its stuck in my head. IN MY HEAD...ahh make it stop!**

Adien walked into the bullpen, thinking today was a good day to surprise his fiancee with an unnannounced visit. He looked around and saw the people she had mention many times. There was Ziva David, sitting at her desk and typing at her computer. He took a moment to memorize her face before moving on to the man that sat near her. Timothy McGee, usually known as Tim or McGee, the techie of NCIS. He was currently talking to a dark haired woman who looked rather serious. Abigail Sciuto, the forensic specialist. After a while, a smile lit up her entire face. Then there was Anthony "Tony" Dinozzo. He was currently staring thoughtfully at Ziva. Last but not least, Agent Gibbs...but he was not here.

"Excuse me," Adien said, slipping back into Spanish out of habit. Ziva looked up. "Soy Adien."

"Do you speak English?" Ziva asked in Spanish.

"Not quite as well." He switched to English almost as smoothly as the last time he had.

"What are you here for?" Ziva inquired in the same language. Adien detected an accent that he decidedly placed as Middle Eastern.

"I am here to see Jewel."

"Sorry, you just missed her," McGee spoke up.

"Where did she go?"

"Bethesda Naval Hospital," Tony said. Adien knew the vague direction of that place. He'd use his GPS for help.

"Thank you, Agent Dinozzo." He walked off.

"How does he know my name?" Tony asked once he was gone. Abby smiled secretively. She knew who than man was.

"No idea," Tim said, but he didn't really seem to care.

"That is the man Jewel mentioned to me," Abby said unexpectedly. "He was the one she wanted to win back. I guess he's too late."

**Random question time! Which is better: McMuffins or McGriddles?**

Jewel struggled with all her might but Hades was just too strong. And she was growing weaker. She was exhausted from all that running. _I'm sorry, Daniela. I couldn't protect you this time. My precious one..._she slumped against Hades in complete defeat.

"Not so fast," a Hispanic voice called.

"Adien," Jewel breathed. There really was such a thing as miracles. That was all it took for her to completely relax. Hades let her fall to the concrete next to her daughter.

"Daniela," Jewel murmured, shaking her shoulder gently. She didn't respond. ""Daniela, honey, please wake up." She checked for a pulse and if she was breathing. _Alright, the basics of CPR...ABCs. Airway. Breathing. Compressions._ She rolled Daniela onto her back and tilted the girl's head just past neutral position. Remembering to maintain that, Jewel leaned down to listen for any quiet breathing. Nothing. _What was I supposed to do for a child. Oh, right. Rescue breaths. _One. Stop. Two. Stop. Check. Nothing...she moved on to compressions. _Come on, live! You have to live!_ After two more rescue breaths, Daniela made a sort of choking sound before taking a breath on her own.

"Mom?"

"Oh thank God! Honey, I thought I lost you!"

"What happened? Why is your fiancee here?"

"Adien came to rescue us. Shh, just hold tight now. You've been through quite an ordeal." Jewel was only this motherly if she was extremely stressed or worried, so Daniela knew the situation had to be bad. Adien currently had brought Hades to his knees with some serious fighting skills Jewel had no idea he possessed.

"Now get out before I make sure you never pass along those low-life genes of yours," Adien said ina dark tone that was so unlike him. Hades limped off to his van, cursing under his breath the whole way. He drove off and was gone.

"Are you two okay?" Adien asked, coming back to his normal, caring self now that the danger had passed.

"I think he gave me something that was supposed to stop my heart for a while," Daniela said. "But, yeah, I'm fine now. Can you help me up, please?" Adien held his future stepdaughter close.

"I know we only just met...but I already love you so much," Adien said. Daniela smiled. They'd be the perfect family after all.

**SHEZAM! Wait, you ask what that was for. OH...I really don't know. I felt like being random.**

Hades cursed to himself serveral times in a row. He shouldn't have let them get away so easily. He had to do better than that.

"Just you wait...I'll be back."

**AN: He just won't give up, will he?**


	32. Chapter 32

After a month, things were settled down and headed in a much better direction. Abby still had horrible flashbacks and vrief freakouts, but they were getting fewer and father between as the days passed. Daniela eventually was able to walk on her own, but it was clear just how close she had come to not making it when she had gotten shot.

Gibbs had not mentioned to Abby what was coming for her, because when Vance had given him the news, he knew Abby was still in a bad place. But, maybe now that things were better, she'd be up to it. He did not get a chance to speak with Abby alone until one Thursday over a month after Daniela's close call with Hades. Jewel and Adien were newly married, so it was an unsurprising thing to see them together most of the time now.

"Abs," Gibbs called over the music. She turned down the racket and faced him.

"I don't have anything, but-"

"I'm not here for that. Come with me." He led her into Vance's office. Why did he feel like he was leading her to her ultimate doom? It was a statement. Just words. It shouldn't matter.

"Should we do a trial run, Leon?"

"What's going on, Gibbs?" Abby asked nervously. She didn't like being in Vance's all that much ever since Jenny's death. Too many memories there.

"Miss Sciuto, you will be required to be called to the stand as a witness in court next month," Vance said steadily.

"Court?" Abby squeaked. "Why?"

"Other than your word...we don't have proof of Hades's crimes," Vance explained. "He was largely unknown growing up, and rarely spoke to other people. It is essential we get an accurate account of what happened to you." Abby was shaking now.

"Are you insane? Do you expect me to be ready to relive this next month when I still have nightmares?"

"You were only held for one week. I believe Agent David dealt with worse." Abby was furious.

"Are you kidding me, Director? Do you even hear yourself? I don't think it matters if it was one week or one year. I went through hell. You don't just go through that and magically come out 'fine' as if the emotional turmoil didn't matter. Ziva is a different person because of Somalia. I am a different person because of Hades. Do I like it? Well, not really, considering I was stripped down to basically nothing. But you don't care about that, do you, Vance? All you care about is that you end up looking good in court, and that the judge thinks you can handle these types of situations. Well, I have news for you. Life doesn't work that way. Sometimes things are out of your control. Until you learn to accept that, you know where to find me." She turned and marched out of the Director's office. Vance winced when the door slammed shut. Abby normally didn't act like that. But this was a different Abby he was dealing with. This was a battle scarred Abby, a woman who was still pushing through turmoil and leaning on the support of others.

"Nice going, Leon," Gibbs said sarcastically. "But I was only following orders. This is why I don't bother listening to you." Another slam, and he was gone. Vance sighed and rubbed his aching temples. _I'm constantly screwed over. Perhaps it is time I look at this situation like a friend and not as Director._ A new approach sounded like a good idea.

**NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS**

"Mom, are you good in algebra?" Daniela piped up after a silence in the bullpen.

"What is it you need help with?" She leaned over her daughter's shoulder and examined the problems.

"When is the next appointment?" Tony inquired as Ziva sat at her desk. She was a little over four months into her pregnancy and hardly showing.

"I already told you," Ziva sighed.

"Daniela...you forgot to distribuite," Jewel said. Tony glanced at her.

"Sorry, I've been distracted by things."

"Such as?" Ziva questioned. Things had been going well lately for them. Why was there a reasong to worry.

"I saw Jeanne yesterday," he confessed. "She was getting all in my business, asking about me, you, any woman I've spoken to the past few years."

"Did she insist on seeing you again?" Tony hesitated, but his silence said it all.

"Go, then. You need to get it in her head that you do not want to be with her." Tony opened his mouth to argue, but was interrupted by the door to Vance's office upstairs slamming shut. Abby stormed along the catwalk, pigtails flying. Her anger and frustration could be detected all the way from over here. Gibbs came out a short time afterward. The way he walked and carried himself showed he felt guilty about something.

"Abs, I didn't mean for this to happen," Gibbs said, sounding almost apologetic.

"It's not you I'm angry at," Abby told him, her voice evidently thick with surpressed rage. "It's the damn Director. He's always pulling crap like this on me, on everyone."

"I think you made him regret it," Gibbs murmured throughtfully.

"Good," Abby snapped. "He should know all the suffering I went through."

"If you won't make the statement, then who will?" Abby was silent for a minute, slowly calming down from her rant in Vance's office but still not quite over it.

"Maybe Jewel would make a nice compromise. After all, she's the one with physical proof of Hades's torture. Daniela looks a little like him if you squint." Gibbs nodded in agreement.

"Boss," McGee called when he entered the bullpen. "Have you seen this?" He held up today's newspaper headlines.

**LOCAL LUNATIC ON A RAMPAGE, FBI QUESTIONING WITNESSES**

Below there was a scene of dozens of bodies out in what looked like the Naval Yard. In the corner was a portion of a black cloak.

"Looks like we've got a new case," Tony quipped. Ziva rolled her eyes. Abby stared and stared at the picture, taking in every single detail. _Black cloak...did he ever wear such a thing?_

"Call in Tobias," Gibbs ordered without a single hesitation. "This is his area of expertise."

"But they're in the Naval Yard, boss," McGee protested.

"I don't care. Just do it, McGee."

_"Why this place? Why here?"_

_"Oh, you know me, I like to hide myself in the dark."_

_"And the cloak...?"_

_"Same reason."_

Abby's eyes visibly widened more than they already had.

"I need to see security from the past hour," she said.

"Why?" Vance asked, coming out of his office.

"I don't think you're in a position to be questioning my actions at the moment, Director," Abby said coolly. "Run the tape in MTAC for me, please. It's urgent." They went into MTAC together. Gibbs descended the stairs while McGee finished his phone call.

"Where's Dad?" Daniela asked.

"He was supposed to be back here soon," Jewel responded, ignoring the current situation going on at the moment. At the moment things did not concern her.

"I hope he's alright."

"Me too."


	33. Chapter 33

**AN: I don't remember if I ever revealed Adien's last name...so if it's different than one I might have previously given him let me know because I've searched all my chapters with him in it without any luck.**

Adien stumbled, coughing up blood onto the pavement. He'd had a close call in the psycho attack from the guy he tried to get rid of last month. But he was alive that was that mattered right now. Adien was used to being in gunfights, knifefights, you name it, he was in them. The neighborhood he grew up in was not the most pleasent people for people like him to be in most of the time. But he learned how to survive, and that was the most important part. He gained a sort of caring nature due to the fact little kids relied on him to get them food and keep them safe. They were innocent and helpless but also sweet and entertaining, the furthest thing from an nusciance.

The familiar burn of a gunshot wound throbbed in his middle somewhere, and upon instinct and wrapped his arm around the source of his pain. He coughed up more blood, watching as it splattered to the ground.

"Sir, do you need help?" A middle aged FBI agent approached him with concern.

"I need to get to NCIS," Adien slurred, feeling groggy from blood loss. "My wife and stepchid are in there."

"Alright, well the paremedics are on the way to attend to the injured. You should sit tight and have that wound looked at first. What is your name?"

"Adien Rodierez." His voice was barely heard.

"Oh, I've heard of you...you married Abby's forensic assistant."

"Where did you hear that?" He was glad of the distraction from the pain of recently getting shot.

"I'm an investigator. I get around. Plus Agen Dinozzo sent a wedding announcement all around by accident. I'm Tobias Fornell, by the way." Adien always admired and respected those in authority whether they were actually helpful to society or not. It was just how he had been raised back home.

"Nice to meet you, sir," Adien said, reaching to shake the man's hand. At that moment, an ambulance screamed onto the sceen and screeched to a stop. Paramedics tended to the injured. Finally, someone approached him with a medical bag.

"Where were you shot?" the woman asked. He lifted his bloodstained hand to reveal his injury. She started to tend to him with an expertise Adien found familiar due to his many years of having to treat broken bones and such in the children that had admired him. He briefly wondered what had happened to them in that big fight right before he split town for good after high school.

"You are good to go."

"Gracias, senora." He gave her a winning smile.

"I'll have my team process the scene. Hey, you there! Go interview some people, will you?" Adien took this as his cue to leave. He was probably getting in the way of things.

**You know you're not the only one...to have seen TEH EPIK DUCK! QUACK QUACK!**

"Any word on what happened in the Naval Yard?" McGee inquired. Gibbs shook his head. Tim sighed and returned to his desk in silence. Tony and Ziva were having one of their conversations without words again, exchanging meaningful glances like they could read one another's minds.

"I want Dad to be here," Daniela said.

"I know," Jewel sighed. She absently glanced at her wedding ring. "But he can handle things on his own."

**What the heck is Smallville? It reminds me of Super 8.**

"Here is the security footage." Vance played the video. Abby watched it in silence. Everything she saw only confirmed her suspicions.

"Yup, that's him alright," she said, pointing at the hooded figure with a revolver in his hand. Vance paused the video just as it panned over to Adien taking a shot in his stomach.

"Miss Sciuto...Abby." She looked at him in surprise. He never addressed her by her first name.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry." He never apologized either. He must really regret what he said earlier.

"I'm not sure if that is enough for me to forgive you this time. You really took things too far."

"But this has to be done by someone, you know," Vance pointed out.

"Which is why Jewel is the perfect candadite for the situation. She has physical proof of Hades's torture."

"That makes sense," the Director said thoughtfully. "All right, we'll go with your plan, then. Just be sure to tell Mrs. Rodierez as soon as possible."

**I can't hold onto my chocolate waffles any longer! I must make a sweet sacrifice! Haha...I can't believe I jut said that. There's no such thing as chocolate waffles. Or is there? HMM these things must be thought about!**

The pain was raging out of control, but he couldn't stop. Hades shot left and right, trying to find a relief, but all the blood splattered, knowing he'd never see _her_ face again was more than he could stand. Even seeing people writhe in pain didn't give him the normal satisfaction it would have. _No one understands. No one cares. Must...not think these thoughts. Must...cause pain! Can't think these thoughts anymore._

"How many are dead?"

"Fourteen."

"That's a lot in such a short amount of time. Did anyone see where he ran off to?"

"Nope, he just vanished."

"Damn, this guy is good at remaining invisible."

"NCIS got him on their security camera hidden out here."

"Good. Maybe we'll finally get a lead on this."

"What do you mean? We just started on the case."

"NCIS's forensic specialist got kidnapped, and someone before her experienced the same thing. Apparently the forensic specialist had encountered this guy before being hired here as well."

"Oh, you mean that Goth girl? Wow, she must have been traumatized."

"You have no idea of the things I've heard about this. Gibbs has kept in touch with me about the situation. Secratary of the Navy has been all over him about Abby using up pretty much all her sick leave. I swear it's like he doesn't have a heart. Bastard."

"And Gibbs isn't one?" There was a light chuckle. Hades tensed up in his hiding place.

"Only most of the time, but he's got feelings somewhere. Believe me, I know."

"I met one of his ex-wives once. Hard to believe he married someone like that...too bad Shepard decided to go down in a blaze of glory. She could've been the one for him."

"I don't disagree with you there. Why don't you finish processing the scene while I fill you in on this guy we're after?"

"Will do, Fornell." Hades sighed. He was getting bored and starting to think of the pain in his chest again. It was like a black hole sucking all life and hope out of him. Her face appeared in his mind. All he really wanted was someone who understood...but no one ever did comprehend his urges that he couldn't control. It was as if, once an idea entered his brain, he couldn't function until he acted upon it. _Everyone thinks I'm crazy...how untrue that is. I'm just like everyone else._

"...and the guy he grew up with will be showing up in court as well."

"Think it's a good idea to have Jewel's daughter so close to her biological father?"

"Do you think we have a choice?"

Hades couldn't take it anymore. He had to have someone belong to him, if it couldn't be any one of _them_. It was like an itch he couldn't ignore. He launched himself out of the bushes, being careful not to be seen. Something that he had become an expert at.

"This guy lives fairly off the grid," Vance said, approaching Fornell and an agent he didn't know.

"Define off the grid," Fornell said.

"No cell phone, pays in cash, and doesn't currently have a permanent residence."

"Does he use Wi-Fi?"

"Rarely, and if at all, very briefly."

"Hades is a ghost. How are we going to catch him?"

"Abby, Jewel, and Steve combined are likely to know how he works just from having been around him."

"Since when have you started using first names?" Fornell asked teasingly.

"That isn't a matter of importance at the moment," Vance replied stiffly, trying to stifle his emotions and remain in Director mode.

"I'll call in Jewel's brother, then. You have any idea where he lives?"

"Out in California, but he may have moved here. I'll ask around."

**AN: Hehe I've been doing some interesting cliffhangers lately, haven't I? Review pretty please! The blue button calls for you! Not in a creepy way. Its just lonely and looking for a friend :(**


	34. Chapter 34

**Me: Hehe...um...hi. Long time no see, my friend.**

**Jared: *spits out seawater* Are you kidding me? Do you know how long I was drifting off into the Atlantic Ocean for?**

**Me: That was the Gulf of Mexico, genius.**

**Ziva: When does this story get to have an ending, by the way? I am sick of being stuck in here.**

**Me: When I say so, I'm the author.**

**Tony: But you don't own us.**

**Me: So? I still own the plot, the OCs, which have been more coopertive than you two, by the way, and also I happen to own the word 'awesomely-awesome'**

**Abby: Yay a new word I can use! By the way, I brought the donuts you asked for. Jelly filled for Ziva, sprinkles for Tony, and chocolate for mysterywriter.**

**Me: Sweet, now I own this virtual donut. Yummy. Hey, what's with all the French fan fictions, by the way?**

**Abby: Why don't you go to France and ask anyone with a account why?**

**Me: *through mouthful of awesome virtual donut :D* Because I dont' speak French! I can speak some Spanish, though.**

**Adien: That explains so much...**

**Me: Whoa, when did you get here?**

**Adien: Cinco minitos ago, mi lady.**

**Me: I adore your accent. Why can't you be real?**

_He could never risist those eyes, that smile. Her eyes glinted with lust, and she grinned mischeviously._

_"Don't you want to take this to the bed?" Abby murmured seductively. Tim swallowed. Should he give in to his desires?_

_"I...well...I don't see why not?" he managed to say. She took him by the hand. The coffin was surprisingly roomy._

_"I love it when we're like this," Abby breathed in his ear._

_"Me too, Abs. I feel like I'm being abducted, though." Her laugh was musical, a miracle for him to hear at such a time. But it was also soft, gentle, and surpressed with the same desires he knew he possessed._

_"Come here." Tim kissed her fiercely._

_"Oh, Timmy," Abby moaned._

_"I'm here."_

_"Timmy."_

_"What?"_

"TIMMY!" Abby yelled.

"Huhwha?"

"Did you fall asleep at your desk again?" Abby asked in a disapproving tone.

"Probie had a sex dream," Tony said knowledgably. McGee glared at him, but the exhausted look in his eyes ruined the effect of that.

"We were supposed to go out tonight. I can't have you falling asleep on me in the finest resturaunt in the city."

"Sorry, Abs. I'll be fine after some coffee. Meet you at the house." He got up and left the bullpen, making a point by ignoring Tony and Ziva.

"Where is Jewel?" Ziva asked, thinking it best to pretend that nothing had happened.

"Finishing up the rest of my work, which I sort of feel bad for, but we've been after Hades for forty-eight hours straight and I just need a beak-"

"Abby," Ziva laughed. "It is fine. I understand. We should both probably be on break now anyway...sometimes stress can induce early labor."

"So, do you know the sex of your baby?" Ziva shook her head.

"Tony still won't tell me, but he's been teasing me about it ever since the last doctor's appointment."

"I want you to be surprised when the baby is born. I've got names for both genders, so don't worry," Tony called from his desk.

**Tell it to someone who's actually listening!**

Tim sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he walked into Abby's apartment. He probably shouldn't worry so much. Abby was doing better than she had been a couple months ago when they had rescued her. She was a complete mess, but is slowly coming out of it. She'd probably never be as bubbly and energetic as before. Tim could see she was a much more serious person, thoughtful and sympathetic of others. She was no longer than innocent woman with strange quirks, but fully matured into something else entirely, plus some of the old things from before.

"Why did this have to happen..." He slumped down into a chair in the dining room, feeling more tired than ever. After a minute, he gathered himself enough to make some coffee.

**I like-hic...chocolate milk. Very much.**

"What's wrong?" Ziva had been quiet for some time.

"I...think..." Her hand went to her stomach. Her face looked focused. After a moment, she sighed.

"I think I just felt the baby move." Tony grinned.

"Can I feel?"

"Is this an excuse to touch me?" she asked teasingly.

"Maybe." Tony shrugged.

"Come to my place," Ziva said suddenly.

"Okay."

**No, this is not a line break. THIS...IS...SPARTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**

_Bam!_ Hades slammed his fist into the closest wall he could find. This. Pain. Was. Too. Much. It was slowly killing him. Soon, very soon, would his time come. But would he be able to wait until he knew a new vulnerable target to satisfy his needs would come his way?

"Arg!" he cried out. The pain raging through his chest hurt much more than his bleeding knuckles.

"I hate this! I hate you, Father! You made me this way!" Finally the truth was out there in the open. He could pinpoint to where the endless agony was stemming from. He slammed his fist against the wall, again and again, until the greater ripping sensation within him finally stopped. He sighed and slumped down, the closest to tears he had been in years.

"I hate you." Where did all this hate come from? When had he ever felt such a complicated emotion that filled him with an unrecognizable blazing heat that blocked out all else? Apparently, always. Permenantly. And that just made him feel even worse. He considered punishing himself with the wall against his fist, but upon trying to move his fingers he decided against it.

**Has anyone seen my Moutain Dew? Oh wait, found it!**

"You look...amazing," Tim confessed when he caught sight of a fully dressed Abby standing in the bedroom doorway. "I'll have a hard time keeping my hands off you."

"I don't think I'll mind," she responded, a playful glint in her eyes. Abby was wearing a low cut sleeveless black blouse and had her hair up in its customary pigtails, but in a different style than he was normally used to seeing. A light, silvery skirt hung low on her waist and seemed to shimmer as she walked. Her face had minimal makeup, but that didn't make her any less beautiful.

"Come on, pick your jaw up off the floor and let's go," Abby laughed. The light, cheerful sound reminded Tim of the fanasty dream he had earlier. He swiftly kissed her on the lips and walked out to the car with her.

"So, what was this...fanasty dream about?" Abby asked as he drove them off to the resturaunt.

"You didn't hear what Tony said?" Tim said increduously.

"Oh I did. I just wanted you to give me the details."

"There's not much to tell."

"Tell me anyway. What was I wearing?"

"Not much," Tim confessed, feeling his face get hot at the memory of it all.

"Who started it?"

"You did." He smiled at her before returning his attention to the road. "Next thing I knew we were both in your coffin. And then I woke up."

"You mean _I_ woke you up." Tim shrugged and pulled into the parking lot.

"If it makes you feel better to put it that way, yes." Abby rolled her eyes. They got out of the car and started heading inside.

"Now, don't freak out too much, but I kind of indulged on this month's paycheck."

"Yours or mine?"

"Both," he admitted. Abby opened her mouth to protest but at that moment someone came over.

"Agent McGee, your table is this way." They were led to their table in silence. Once seated, Abby started in on her argument.

"You shouldn't be spending your money on me like this. I'm not worth it. I'm just a broken woman recovering from hell and you're here to help me through things and then we're moving on like we were never in a relationship."

"Is that what you really think? Or are you trying to convince yourself even more of what Hades had told you?"

"A little of both," Abby whispered, tilting her head down.

"You want to know what I really think of you?" She looked up at him. "I think you're the most amazing woman I've ever met. To have gone through what you did and still have the ability to get up in the morning and put a smile on your face is more than what many people would be able to accomplish."

"I'm smiling because if I don't, I'll be crying," Abby quoted quietly.

"Indeed, my sweet." He leaned over and pecked her on the cheek. "Now, what will you be having?" The rest of the evening was very casual, ending with a wonderful dessert that they both shared. Then the check came in. Their waitress, Mary, smiled at the sight of them staring into one another's eyes. Tim signed the check without looking at it, sticking his debit card inside.

"So, when's the big day?" she asked casually.

"What?" McGee said, snapping back to reality.

"When are you two getting married?" Abby blushed.

"Um...I don't think that's been discussed," Tim said, going red in the face as well. Mary laughed a little at their expressions.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I had no idea! It's just...you two look like you are ready to tie the knot, is all. Believe me, I know it when I see it." She smiled and took the check away. Abby and McGee sat there for a while, at a complete loss for words.

"Do you think she could be right?" Abby questioned on the way home. For that, Tim had no answer, and he wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. They were both quiet the rest of the drive home, both lost in their own thoughts. Abby conteplated her previous ideas of commitment, particularly those involving wearing a white dress and the words "I do" at the end of it all. The thought of such a thing scared the hell out of her. A stranger in a tux, loving someone like her? But Tim was in no way a stranger.

McGee, on the other hand, was thinking of possibilities. He didn't see anything changing anytime soon. He didn't see any other woman he'd want to be with. It wasn't that he never loved anyone else(if loving that fake girl who was Tony actually counted as anyone else), but, rather...once Abby was put into the equation, all other possibilities went out the window just like that. No, they were blown away by his fascination of her. She never ceased to surprise him. She contained a strength he had no idea she possessed. He watched her fall to complete rock bottom, and somehow she climbed all the way back up again, gazing upon him dependably like he was her lifeline to reality. Which, given the past circumstances, was probably true in more ways than one.

_Marriage is such a scary idea right now,_ Abby thought as she got ready for bed that night. McGee went to go take the couch as usual, but something stopped him as he left the bedroom. It was as if he didn't really want to leave.

"Mind if I join you?" McGee asked meekly, turning to face Abby again.

"Sure," Abby said with a grin. "I can see where this is going..." Within ten minutes they were under the covers, wearing hardly anything.

"Do...you think...she was...right?" Abby gasped in between kisses.

"What's...your opinion?" Tim replied just as breathily.

"I think we should take it one day at a time."

"Sounds good." It was nice, just being together like this, with nothing to hold them down. Tim almost convinced himself that life was perfect right now. Well, it was as long as Abby was alive and well in his arms, snuggling against his exposed chest.

"Forever sounds...kind of nice, with you," Abby said.

"I couldn't agree more, Abs," Tim murmured into her hair.

**What is your definition of forever?**

He should feel satisfied, locking someone else up in chains, but it just made him feel more trapped in the routine. Something had to give, whether it was him or somebody's life. But he'd already gone through that and still didn't feel any better. He was...what was that feeling swirling in his head? Doubt? Yes, Hades was doubting his actions. Was he wrong? Or was his father wrong? Maybe life was better when he didn't think so much. But he couldn't stop the thoughts from happening. They had a mind of their own, like the poisons he spent his time cultivating.

"Why?"

He didn't know why. That is what seemed to be bugging him the most about these doubts. Thinking was deadly. He had to stop. So, he did the one thing he could in a situation like this. Another shot, another test should do the trick. It had to end somewhere. The human body had its limits. Hades had nearly discovered them all through this...girl. She was scarcely out of high school according to the way she acted and spoke.

"They all have a reason for doing this to good people like me. What's yours, huh? Are you some poor, misunderstood creature?" Maybe she was older than he thought. She knew a whole lot more than she should. And that kind of knowledge gave her an upper hand he couldn't let her have. Still he said nothing, which was probably the more dangerous option right now.

"I can see right through you. You are nothing more than someone looking for a fix. The fix isn't working anymore, is it? So, why are you wasting your time with me?"

"Shut up!" A well placed knife, and she was dead at his feet just minutes later. He was breathing very hard. Blood pooled on the floor. But her words had been given the effect they intended. He was truly doubting himself and the life he had created.

**Doubt is a dangerous emotion in times of crisis. So, NEVER DENY TEH EPIK DUCK HIS FUN! Sorry. Had to release the tension there. Did it work? Good, now keep reading.**

"Just tell me," Ziva begged. "What has you so worked up?"

"I...Jeanne can't seem to accept that she doesn't belong with me anymore," Tony said.

"Well, I already knew that," Ziva scoffed. "We discussed this hours ago. But you still seem stressed, yes?"

"Don't worry about it," Tony kissed her on the cheek. "Get some rest. You need it more than I do." He lay awake for a long time, wondering if this is how things would always be, or if Jeanne would just complicate their relationship too much for life to move forward. _Why did she have to come back? Why couldn't she just leave, so that things can be simple again?_ But he knew that wasn't happening anytime soon. Jeanne was looking for closure. Well, she'd get closure alright. Just not the kind she happens to be hoping for.

**Life in the fast line verses life in whatever the hell of a lane I wanna be in. Decisions, decisions...don't be mainstream! Be unpredictable!**

"I got word from Gerogetown about another killing," Vance said. It was getting late. He and Gibbs were still at NCIS.

"Shall I call the team in?" Gibbs asked tiredly, rubbing his eyes and checking the time. Almost 2200.

"Fornell and his crew are already on it. Your team deserves a break."

"Bigfoot, you do have a heart," Gibbs joked lamely. Vance glared at him, then softened a little when he realized what the man was implying.

"I suppose I deserved that after being such a jackass the other day."

"Ya think?" Gibbs smirked.

"Fornell is coming in tomorrow with the details on the current case. Make sure your team is here bright and early."

"You got it, Leon."

**Labor day's a coming. You have been warned.**

"Hey," Adien said softly. Jewel looked at him. "You couldn't sleep either?" She shook her head. "How about I make some tea?"

"So, what's going to happen now? I mean, we're already married and with one kid."

"What more do you want?" Adien chuckled. Jewel blushed, thinking of last night.

"Maybe something more to our...family?" she suggested.

"You and Daniela are my family. Don't you think that is enough for now? Jewel was quiet again.

**AN: Ah, yet another conclusion. Like the theme I incooperated here? Mixed emotions about similar things. Everyone is different. And Hades is getting more unpredictable by the chapter.**

**Anyway, things seem to be going quite well even though I haven't gotten any reviews lately. I only find it slightly saddening but it's not the end of the world...OR IS IT?**

**Will the Epik Duck make another appearence out of nowhere? Will Jared the zebra stop annoying the crap out of me? Is Hades truly a bad person? Does Dr. Pepper really taste good after its been sitting out for a while? Is Abby afraid of commitment, or is she actually using that fear to hide something else? Are McNuggets actually explosive? Stay tuned to find out all this, and much more! Until next time, my friends, enemies, and mutual aquaintances. Oh, and that random guy back there, shoutout to you...whoever you are. I'm not sure when you got here, but thanks for showing up.**


	35. Chapter 35

**AN: Um...the quote isn't exactly right, but it gets the idea across.**

**Disclaimer: This is MY imagination, isn't it? I can pretend, right?**

The next day, Abby trudged into work, feeling nauseous but knew that a call from Gibbs could not be ignored. Fornell stood there in the bullpen waiting.

"Thank you for warning me ahead of time," he said to Vance, who nodded and sat down at Tony's desk, which was the only one empty at the time.

"Forensics confirmed that there was no connection between the killings. They were all done at the same time with a .22 revolver, found pretty much anywhere these days. Purchased with cash, though, so we couldn't trace it." He started going through pictures on the MCRT screen. Abby was finding very hard to concentrate. Nobody seemed to notice.

"Anything else?" Gibbs prompted. "How does this relate to us?"

"If it wasn't for Abby being kidnapped at all, this would be all on me," Fornell replied. "Moving on, this latest murder was different from others. Victim's name is Diana Williams, and she was knifed in the chest, bled out in three minutes. She has no criminal record, nothing here out of the ordinary. Taught at an elementry school for a couple years before getting laid off due to pay cuts, then became a librarian at a different school." More pictures. Abby gave up on paying attention. Her stomach flipped uncomfortably. Tim sent a worried glance her way, and she tried her best to give him a reassuring smile.

"Where do you want us taking over on this case?"

"It seems Hades is on a rampage after something...or someone," Fornell amended, looking at Abby, who appeared to be distracted by something. Ziva scruntinized the forensic specialist, guessing at what could be wrong with her this morning. Tony casually strolled into the squad room, completely clueless of what was going on.

"You're late, Dinozzo," Gibbs said without looking up.

"So, you're saying Miss Sciuto should be on protection detail?" Vance inquired.

"It would appear so. SecNav might actually get off your back if you do." Vance rolled his eyes. SecNav was the least of his concerns at the moment.

"We already have Agent McGee with her at all times. What more do you want?"

"I'm just making suggestions-"

"I'd rather not be told how to do my job." Abby looked back and forth between them. Gibbs flashed back to a moment when Abby found out he was fighting with a very different Director, in another lifetime: _'Mommy and Daddy shouldn't fight.'_

"You two wanna take it outside?" Gibbs asked, interrupting their little debate.

"Moving on," Fornell said, exchanging a glance with the Director as a signal that this wasn't over yet. "There have been some brief sightings of Hades, but nothing definite. Last sighting was last night out in Georgetown." McGee glanced at Abby again, who looked decidedly uncomfortable.

"I suggest you don't talk about Abby like she's not here," Tim said, gazing steadily at Fornell.

"What's going on?" Tony whispered to Ziva.

"Fornell is here giving us the details on the case since we are too close to it to actually work on it," Ziva explained.

"Sorry," Fornell apologized to Abby. She didn't say anything. He softened upon seeing the look on her face. Case forgotten, he approached her carefully, thinking she was just be a little emotionally stressed from everything.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Abby muttered, not looking at him. "Continue with your detailing, Tobias." Her stomach made another twisting flip, and she ducked her head, waiting for the bout of nausea to pass.

"Usually when someone says 'nothing' it is usually something. Tell me what's wrong." He took her by the hands, suddenly very close to her. Abby flinched.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said softly. Abby pulled away from him and ran off. He stared after her for a minute before coming to the conclusion that he wasn't helping matters.

"It seems she still has a long way to go with coping," Fornell commented.

"What do you mean?" Vance demanded, "She's been doing a whole lot better now than last month."

"Slow recovery, then?" Fornell asked, confused by the situation.

"I don't think he knows," Ziva said to Tony. Tim nodded in agreement. This went unnoticed by the FBI agent, who could only think about Abby's strange behavior today and not what Gibbs had told him in the past. Then another realization passed between all three agents. Fornell wasn't the only one who didn't know Abby was pregnant.

"Just leave my forensic specialist alone," Vance ordered. "Someone go after her. She needs to be watched at all times. Fornell, in my office, please." They ascended the stairs.

"I'll go get her," McGee said, going off in the direction Abby had gone.

_Women's bathroom_

Abby did not enjoy seeing last night's dinner-and dessert, plus breakfast-a second time. She slumped to the floor, feeling exhausted, sick, and just all around miserable. Quiet, familiar footsteps approached her.

"Hey, I'll go get you some water, okay? Be right back." She barely had the energy to nod in order to confirm she had heard him. The thought of having to suffer alone caused her stomach to twist and churn, and she leaned over the toilet again. More time passed, but the worst seemed to be over. She flushed the toilet and stood up, waiting a few moments to see if the nausea had left her for now.

"Abby?" Ziva called, stepping into the bathroom. No answer. She wasn't surprised at that, but felt worried anyway.

"Is Timmy back yet?" Abby asked weakly from the first stall.

"No. He promised to hurry, though."

"Can I ask you something?" She stepped out and headed for the closest sink.

"Ask away."

"What are your thoughts on...commitment?" Her green eyes were filled with an emotion Ziva didn't recognize.

"I am not sure," Ziva responded. "It is not something I give much thought to. But if I were to give my opinion, I'd say, permenancy is not often found. Why do you ask?" Abby shrugged and turned to the sink, just as McGee came in with a bottle of water.

"Feel better yet?" Abby managed a smile. "That's good." He handed her the water bottle and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"I brought a toothbrush with me, so I'll be out in a few minutes."

"I'll be sure to tell Gibbs, then. See you in a few." Another peck on the cheek, and he was gone. Ziva looked at Abby, then at the door, then back at Abby. The strange look was still on her face.

"It is because of McGee, yes?" She didn't respond. Her silence said it all.

"Do you realie how much he loves you?"

"Yes, but-"

"You know that he would do anything for you?"

"Yes, but-"

"What is the problem, then?"

"I'm scared," Abby said in a small voice.

"Of what?"

"The idea...the reality of...actually getting married. I want to get married, but-"

"Listen to me," Ziva interrupted. "Do you love him?"

"Yes."

"Would you do anything for him?"

"Yes."

"Then think of that everyday things seem too hard. And if you still have doubts..." Ziva merely shrugged and walked away. Abby followed her out in silence.

**Random question time! Who thinks I'm awesome? Not to inflate my ego or anything...but it IS a random question.**

Fornell left Vance's office with a major headache. This was why he didn't come by very often. People like Vance just gave him even more gray hairs for his daughter to notice. Not that he minded. It gave them something to laugh about together. Unfortunately, mentioning his daughter to Gibbs wouldn't be the best idea now, considering what baggage he carried from the past. So, Fornell just remained quiet upone appearing in the squad room again.

"I'll get going now," he said. "There is nothing more to tell you, so-" He looked up and saw Abby enter the bullpen with a water bottle and Ziva right beside her.

"Sorry about earlier. I wasn't feeling too well and you caught me at a bad time."

"That's alright. Are you sure it's a good idea for you to remain at work if you're feeling under the weather?" Abby exchanged a glance with Gibbs, and he nodded.

"Don't worry, I've got it under control. How is Emily?"

"She's doing great, thank you." Fornell found it a little odd that she'd be asking about his daughter at a time like this.

"I've got a surprise for you," McGee said, coming up next to Abby. He handed her a No Caf-Pow! She smiled and hugged him.

"Thank you, Timmy," she whispered in his ear.

"A No Caf-Pow?" Fornell murmured in confusion. "Don't you hate those?"

"I can't drink caffeine," Abby explained.

"Oh. _Oh_." Suddenly it all made sense to him. "Well, congradulations, then...I was being a little clueless there." Abby smiled sheepishly. She was only thirteen weeks along, but it was impossible to tell that she was pregnant at all due to the looseness of her clothing.

"I'll keep in touch, Gibbs," Fornell called on his way out.

**I'm hungry...thinking about eating the Epik Duck for lunch.**

Hades swore that he was drowning in his own suffering. He couldn't breathe. He needed her in his arms, with that scent that brought him home. But she was dead, dead and gone. All because of...him. The bastard, the bane of his entire new fabricated existence.

"I'm going to kill you." He knew where his father lived. Hopefully there would be some closure at last for the ceaseless agony rippng through every pore of his body though there was no mark to be seen.

"Noooo!" He fell to his knees, the cry of anguish finally escaping his lips for the first time since he lost _her_. Accepting such a thing was impossible. There had to be...someone who actually understood everything about him. There was no way he was completely alone in the world. But he was. He stormed through the crowd that had gathered there, on a rampage once more. An anger, so impossible, rising up, sending his blood to a boil and blocking out any coherent thought to replace his sense of loss.

"You are going to die. That is a promise." This was a whole different kind of killing. This was...vengence.

**To be or not to be? That is the question. Who else is a Shakespeare fan?**

"So, what's been going on up there?" Jewel asked as Abby finally came into the lab that they both shared now.

"Fornell was giving us details on the case," Abby replied, being unusually brief. "Where's Daniela?"

"Out with Adien doing some shopping. Just a few school supplies, and plus she wanted some bonding time with her stepfather."

"Sounds nice." Abby smiled.

"Did I miss anything else?"

"You really have to join us in these sorts of adventures, Jewel."

"Adventures?" she said teasingly. "What have you guys been up to now?"

"A little this and that," Abby responded casually. "Last night was pretty great. Tim and I had an insanely expensive dinner in Georgetown. I think he spent a week's worth of both of our pay checks."

"How sweet of him," Jewel comented. "He's willing to go broke for you. That's a sign."

"The waitress thought we were engaged, which embarrassed the both of us."

"You two haven't discussed it yet?" she asked increduously.

"Life has been pretty crazy, and things have only just settled down enough for me to even think of anything other than getting through the day." Her assistant nodded, remembering the way Abby progressed through the weeks, ever so slowly, to the way she was now.

"I see. Well, I'll give Adien a call and see if he's on his way back over with Daniela yet. I was hoping the three of us could look for a new place together."

"Right...whoa." Abby swayed slightly. Luckily the chair was right there for her to collapse into, nearly fainting right then and there.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Just a little dizzy." She didn't seem concerned. Jewel made a mental note to ask Ducky about this. Speaking of, the ME entered the lab in that moment.

"Hello, Ducky," Jewel said with a small smile.

"Abigail, isn't your doctor's appointment today?" She shot up out of the chair, bringing on and other round of dizziness. She stumbled slightly in an attempt to regain her sense of balance. Ducky held her steady, his face a mask of calm.

"Have you eaten at all today?" he asked Abby once it looked like she wasn't in danger of collapsing.

"Not since this morning because I got sick." Jewel looked back and forth between them. Was Abby coming down with something? Could it be contagious? Jewel briefly wondered how resistant she as to illnesses.

"Well, try and eat something before you leave, alight?" Abby nodded and walked over to her fridge.

"I have some things in here, so I should be fine, Ducky. What are you doing in here, anyway?"

"Mr. Palmer kept asking about you so I thought I'd come down here to give him some sort of news other than an assumption. Let me know if there are any other problems."

"Will do," Abby called as he left her lab.

"I hope you feel well soon," Jewel said.

"What? I'm not sick," Abby told her, getting out an almond granola bar and strawberry yogurt. "I'm pregnant. I thought you'd have put the signs together by now."

"Sorry," Jewel said with a smile. "I'm still learning the whole 'investigator' process." Lately she had been expressing wishes to be a field agent while Daniela held a fascination for the forensics similiar to Abby's passion.

"It isn't easy," Abby admitted. "But soon it'll be second nature. I'm going to go tell Timmy our appointment is within an hour. Be right back."

**Seventeen. 'Nuff said.**

The house was in plain sight. It had taken him not all that long to get to this crucial point. Hades carefully climbed through the window, not bothering with the smashed in door. There he was. His father. The large man stood with his back to him, arms crossed and hunched over. Hades made no hesitation in beginning the torture. A swift kick to the old man's back, and he was down.

"What the hell?" he sputtered, staring up into a stranger's eyes.

"You killed her," Hades growled. "Now, you die!"

_BANG!_ The bullet found its mark in a fraction of a second. Blood splattered his clothes. The man that ruined his life was dead. But he wasn't done yet. There was still some unfinished business to take care of. The poison in his mind that didn't belong to him had to leave. But he had no idea how to get rid of it. The thoughts were like an incurable disease: wrong, but impossible to make sense of.

**2+2= 92580252523522520723057207502 on Chuck Norris's calculator. Acutally, 2+2 can equal whatever he wants it to.**

"I'm not so sure about this."

"Come on, I'll be with you the whole time."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart." The doctor came in.

"Alright, everything looks normal here. We just need one last test to make sure other things are developing normally with your child." A needle was stuck into her arm.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Abby had been very quiet most of this doctor's appointment. They were now headed for home so she could get some much needed rest.

"What are you thinking about?"

"What the baby will look like."

"I'm sure it won't look a thing like him," McGee assured her.

"You don't know that," Abby said quietly. "You don't know if it'll look like me or you or be a spitting image of Hades."

"Appearances can be decieving."

"You've got that right," Abby muttered, starting to slip into a mood swing again.

"Any child of yours will be an absolute angel." She didn't say anything, but resumed staring out the window. She did that far too often. Not even music seemed to pull her out of whatever musings she slipped into these days.

**I don't wanna finish my homework!**

"Hey," Adien said, swooping in to kiss Jewel as his typical greeting. She didn't respond. "Daniela will be down here in a minute. Sorry I took so long. We had to drop off everything at the house."

"What's wrong?" he asked, having finally caught onto her mood.

"Abby's pregnant."

"Aren't you supposed to be happy for her?"

"Supposed to be. But how can I be, if Daniela is all I'll ever have?" The pain was evident in her voice.

"Oh, that's what this is about."

"You're the one who said it!" Jewel whispered harshly, holding back tears. "Just think of how that makes me feel, being a mother right now."

**AHHHHHH! TEH EPIK DUCK IS ATTACKING!**

Daniela paused just outside the lab upon hearing familiar voices. At first the conversation sounded casual, but then it manifested into an argument.

"Aren't you supposed to be happy for her?"

"Supposed to be. But how can I be, if Daniela is all I'll ever have?" _Is Mom angry at me about something? What did I do wrong?_ She knew this perfect family was too good to be true. She turned and ran, surprised to feel tears streaming down her face. She never cried. So, it must be true...her parents thought she was unworthy. _I thought they loved me and accepted me for who I was._ How wrong that theory was.

"Daniela?" Jimmy asked softly. She had run straight down into autopsy. "What's wrong? Did someone get hurt?"

"My parents don't love me," she sobbed.

"That isn't true," he argued. "They adore you."

"But...I heard them...arguing...about me." She was all worked up now.

"Settle down for a minute. Here's some water." She sipped the water, but not very much of it.

"Tell me what happend." Daniela told him what she had heard.

"You shouldn't be eavesdropping. They could have been talking about any number of things."

"Like what?" Daniela asked softly.

"Possibly Abby's getting pregnant. Jewel could be a little envious that something is preventing her from being in the same situation." Daniela was quiet as she processed this possibility.

"Thank you, Jimmy. I really needed that."

"Anytime." He smiled at her. She managed a small smile in return. Ducky entered autopsy, looking thoughtful.

"Hello, Daniela. What are you doing in here?"

"I was just leaving," she murmured, exiting autopsy as quickly as she had come.

"What was that about?" Ducky inquired curiously.

"Daniela was upset when she overheard her parents arguing about something. I had to calm her down and make sure she knew it had nothing to do with her."

"Oh, dear. I hope things are alright between Jewel and Adien." Ducky had become rather fond of the newlywed couple lately. He rarely saw that type of true love going on, except in the others in the NCIS workforce. It seemed everyone had someone: Abby, Jewel, Ziva, and even Jimmy over there, the silly fool. He wasn't surprised. Everyone had formed such strong bonds over the years that something was bound to happen eventually.

"I'm sure everything will work out in the end," Jimmy said.

"It always does, Mr. Palmer."

"Are you so sure about that?" he asked quietly.

"Whatever could you mean by that?"

"Michelle kicked me out because of my foolishness with Jewel. It seems it's going to take more than an apology to win her back."

"If you truly love her as you say you do...then you'll find a way, my lad. I can tell you that much."

**MoRe RaNdOmNeSs from my LINE BREAKS! :D**

"What do you want, Tony?" Ziva asked without turning around or moving in any way to acknowledge that he was there behind her.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Just ask...you are worse than Abby with that sort of thing. I swear, sometimes it is truly like the two of you are related by more than what you claim. I only recently got to understanding this 'family' thing you have told me about, and what you said is-"

"Do you want to know the sex of the baby?" Tony blurted. Ziva finally turned to face him, her eyes impossible to read. He caught a flicker of interest, and then it was gone.

"It is about time you told me," Ziva said. Tony leaned down and whispered in her ear. She smiled.

"I do not mind. It will be a whole new experience for me."

"Are you sure this isn't too much for you? I mean, it's not every day that-"

"I am sure," Ziva interrupted.

"Having kids is going to be a handful," he warned her.

"I am well aware."

"We're going to have to be fully committed to this."

"I know, Tony," she sighed.

"Which, is why I have another question to ask you."

"What more could you possibly want from me at this point?" She was starting to get annoyed.

"Marry me."

**AN: BAM! Bet you didn't see that coming! So, Hades is going crazy about something...Jewel and Adien have their first fight, Abby is having doubts, and now Ziva and Tony. Then there's the thing with Jimmy. See, I didn't forget about him. Are you liking my subplots? Can anyone guess what Tony told Ziva? First one to get it right is a genius among geniuses(coughabbysciuto900coughthat').**

**Anyway, review if you want to know what Tony told Ziva and for Michelle to stop torturing Jimmy! Unless you're a sick person that thinks he somehow deserves it...then in that case, just review about the first one! Okay, I'm shutting up now. Until next time, readers.**


	36. Chapter 36

**Jaws0178: You're getting on the right track there. Can't decide between twins or triplets. But I have plans for both.**

**Come on, readers...not a single suggestion with Tony and Ziva? Fine. Be difficult. I can't read minds, you know.**

**Disclaimer: I think you get the point by now.**

"Look, I'm sorry," Adien said once Jewel had calmed down. Daniela still hadn't arrived for whatever reason, but at the moment it wasn't too much of a concern. His wife was having a breakdown, something not often seen in her because she always seemed invincible to the world around her.

"Look, when I was little my mother tried for another kid. She got pregnant, and we were all so happy. I wanted so badly to have a little sister. And then it all came crashing down when she got into an accident. She lost the baby." Jewel was quiet for some time.

"That's awful," she said. "You shouldn't have had to go through something like that at...how old were you?"

"Seven."

**IS THE DAY FREAKIN' OVER YET? Says the linebreak that won't shut up.**

"What now?" Vance sighed.

"We've...got a problem," Fornell said. "Hades made another attack." Vance cursed.

"Get another team on this...this is getting out of control." Fornell nodded. "And about earlier, I am not changing my mind even for a second."

"Understood, Director."

**Running out of linebreak ideas...so I'm just going to find some donuts. BRB.**

"Marry you?" Ziva made a strange choking sound in her throat. "What?"

"Did I stutter?" Tony quipped. "I'm serious about this. I've even got a ring with me."

"Are you sure it is a good idea? With everything going on, there is now way we will find the time to plan a wedding."

"It doesn't have to be anything huge. Just whatever we can throw together in a couple weeks. It can just be the team, Jewel, Adien, and Daniela. Maybe Fornell. You think CIRay would be up to coming?" Ziva sighed.

"I do not know. I need some time to think."

"Okay. I understand. I shouldn't have just thrown it out there like that. I'll give you some time alone." _I am being such a hypocrite,_ Ziva thought once Tony was gone. But she couldn't just decide on things right away. She wanted everything to be perfect, not haphazardly put together and rushed through just to get it done. Contrary to what Tony thought, she actually wanted a nice, formal wedding. Unfortunately, the timing was not good. With Hades on a psycho rampage, killing all over the place, anyone could be the next victim. There was a chance he could come back for Abby again, or even claim someone new from NCIS. Ziva cursed, feeling ready to hit something, and hard, too.

"Why?" she growled in the first language that popped in her head.

"Nobody knows why," a voice behind her said. She turned to see...Gibbs.

"Gibbs." Somehow, seeing his face was a relief to her.

"Something wrong?"

"Tony wants to marry me."

"But...?"

"I do not think now is a good time."

"So, tell him. Don't make it harder than it has to be." That was all it took for Ziva to go off searching for Tony.

**Swearing isn't that bad of a thing. Not sure if I'm trying to convince someone else or myself...wait why am i even discussing this?**

Revenge, a meal best served cold and unexpectedly. Now to fix whatever was wrong in his head and get on with his life. That was when the game changed.

_**There's nothing wrong with you. It's all lies.**_

He had no idea where the thought came from, but it sounded intriguing, so he decided to listen in for now.

_**Listen only to yourself and what matters. The rest is only lies, distraction, illusions.**_

**I'm blue I'm in need of a pie...I've been listening to this song on a 10 hour loop for over 2 hours and I haven't lost my mind. A miracle.**

"Abs, do you want to go back?"

"I want to stay," Abby said sullenly, laying back in her coffin and closing her eyes. "Please, just go. I'll be fine on my own for an hour or two. If you feel that bad about it, call in Ziva or something." Tim sighed, but he knew there was no arguing with Abby when she was not feeling well and in a bad mood on top of that. He got into his car, prepared to face whatever punishment awaited him at NCIS. Instead, when he walked in, things started to look pretty crazy.

**Line break. Found some donuts.**

"I'd rather not get into the business of Miss Sciuto right now!" Gibbs growled into the reciever. Meanwhile, Tony and Ziva were having an argument over some date or something. In a corner, Daniela sat quietly reading, ignoring everyone. All of this was a sideline compared to what McGee was looking at. There was Adien and Jewel, staring at the MCRT screen.

"So, that's him?" Adien asked. Jewel nodded, not taking her eyes off the screen.

"Finally got a move on him, I see," Fornell said, entering the squad room. "McGee, where's Abby?"

"Oh, right!" He had completely forgotten about her. "Ziva, could you-" She shook her head and gave him a warning glare. "Tony?" Same response. "Jewel..." He was beginning to get desperate. He couldn't have SecNav put his head on a silver platter over such a trival matter.

"I'll go," Jewel said. "It's the least I can do after everything that's happened." She slid into the elevator, her husband right behind her. Daniela kept reading her book.

"Ducky will probably want an update on what's going on," Tim said. "What have you got on Hades's last movements?"

"Forensics is still going through evidence, but there I have a feeling this murder was more motivated than the last one."

"Go on." Tony and Ziva's argument was starting to distract him.

"For one thing, the victim was his father."

"Revenge, perhaps?"

"I want the wedding to be after we had our children, and that is final," Ziva said loudly. Tony sighed, clearly not happy with the decision.

"Wait a second, wedding? What did I miss while I was away?"

"None of your business right now, McNosy," Tony replied.

"I agree with you on that," Fornell said, ignoring them. "But that still doesn't answer the ultimate question behind all this...why now? Why go crazy now, when he had all those weeks to lose it?"

"I think it was building tension," McGee said. "Something just snapped."

"You've got a good point there," Fornell agreed.

"I'm going down to see Ducky," the agent called on his way out. "Don't wait up."

**Yes, there is such thing as a chocolate talking unicorn filled with marshmallow.**

"How is it going between you and Michelle?" Ducky inquired politely as he finished up yet another crossword puzzle in record timing. "I trust you called her, am I correct?" Jimmy nodded, giving up on his sodoku game for the moment.

"She and I had a little talk. Michelle said some things are pretty hard on her right now...the wedding is coming up, and what with the miscarriage last week, plus having to deal with her parents, life is really taking a toll on her."

"I imagine that must be difficult to deal with. Is she willing to forgive you now?"

"She said I can come back this week, anytime actually. I just need to speak with my roommate about the situation and then everything should be fine." At that moment, McGee entered the room.

"Hello, Timothy," Ducky said, switching tracks instantly. "How is Abigail doing?"

"Doctor's appointment was fine. She's resting up at home. I just came by to tell you that things are getting pretty crazy with Hades."

"Care to tell me why?" the ME asked.

"There are more bodies than Fornell can deal with at the moment, and we can't even pinpoint the reason behind them."

"I certainly hope this has nothing to do with-"

"It has everything to do with it," McGee interrupted, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Abby could be in very serious danger right now. But as long as we've got this camera feed on Hades, we'll at least be one step ahead in the game."

"This is no game," Jimmy spoke up. "This is a nightmare." Tim nodded in agreement.

**FOUR HOURS of I'm Blue by Eiffel 65. Who thinks I can do six more?**

"You did not need to get so out of hand like that," Ziva said later that morning. Tony rolled his eyes and started massaging her shoulders.

"What do you expect?" he scoffed. "Some things will never change." Ziva smiled at this, remembering threats with a paperclip and movie references galore.

"I shall never forget how we met."

"And I shall never give up _trying_ to forget," Tony muttered. For a second he thought that he could see Kate standing there, telling him it was okay to move on. But instead he saw Daniela watching him curiously.

"Was there something you wanted?" Tony asked, taking his hands off Ziva's shoulders momentarily.

"How do you two...fight all the time and still get along?"

"It's not fighting. Not really. More like torture," Ziva said, glancing at Tony.

"Torture?"

"She doesn't mean it like that," he said quickly. Daniela frowned, more confused than ever. She muttered something under her breath and went to go finish her book.

"Daniela is a pretty strange child," Ziva noted.

"You've got that right."

**POINT! Did anyone get my **_**Up**_** reference?**

"Abby?" The door slammed shut. It was too quiet in here.

"Abby, where are you?" Not a sound was to be heard, save for Jewel's heels clicking quietly across the floor in search of her friend.

"In here," came a soft moan after what felt like an endless silence. "I'll be out later...I just...oh-" Jewel went to go make herself some coffee. It was going to be a long day, but she knew how to deal with the less pleasent symptoms of pregnancy, so perhaps it wouldn't be too bad. She made herself a simple cup of coffee and took these few minutes alone to relax in the living room. Though she hadn't been in Abby's apartment that much, it already felt like a familiar place to her. Abby, being a gracious hostess more often than not, made even the simplest of times very enjoyable. Finally, the girl in question appeared in the living room, smiling apologetically.

"Sorry about that. It seems my body isn't cooperating with me today."

"That's alright."

"I see you made yourself at home with my coffee maker." Abby sat down in the chair opposite to the couch.

"Coffee is practically a lifeline in this profession," Jewel joked.

"You should see Gibbs, then. He seems to think coffee is breakfast, lunch, and dinner no matter what I tell him."

"Don't you feel tired at all?"

"Not really. Just...a little our of it, I suppose. I've been in a pretty weird mood today. Must be the stupid horomones."

"Want to talk about it?" She finished off her coffee and instantly found herself feeling restless and unnoccupied. Abby shook her head and fell silent again. Jewel took this time to relax some more and think about her future with Adien. She didn't get very far when the phone happened to ring just then.

"I'll get it!" Abby said, leaping to her feet. "Hello? Hi Ducky. No, everything was fine today. Yes, I'll make sure to get something else to eat. The morning sickness has been getting a little in the way of that, though. Nothing to worry about. If things get worse...yeah, you know me too well! Alright, talk to you later, Duckman. Tell Jimmy I said hi." She hung up, a smile putting a glow to her face.

"What say you and I have some fun with a little board game?" Abby suggested.

"Just don't expect me to go easy on you."

Two hours of _Life_ later, Abby was passed out on the couch, completely exhausted. Jewel smiled, happy to see the forensic specialist completely without stress on her face. She took out her phone, deciding to use the internet despite the huge bill that would give her later on. On the home page there was a headline about an old man getting killed just outside of Gerogetown. There were some brief details on the FBI and how far they had gotten in the case so far, but otherwise several speculations kept circling around over and over again. Jewel ignored that and logged into her email, thinking it would be a good idea to contact her mother about what was going on in her life since she found Facebook to be a sort of taboo.

She typed a quick update, not willing to go into _too_ much detail. Her mother didn't deal well with emotional stress. Anxiety attacks were common with her. Abby murmured something in her sleep and turned over, nearly falling off of the couch. Jewel had to stifle her laughter before logging out of her email and closing out of the internet. Some things were just so incredibly precious they were too good not to miss.

**AN: I'm cutting it off here...I could only stand 04:42:07 of that looping song. More than I would have thought possible but I couldn't even make it halfway. Um...don't forget to review, blah blah blah. I'm tired now. G'night.**


	37. Chapter 37

**Me: I have some bad news...**

**Tim: What?**

**Me: My funny line breaks...they need to come to a stop.**

**Tim: They're coming back, right?**

**Me: Not this time.**

**Tim: Then what-**

**Me: *sigh* Stop. Just stop. I'd like to move onto the next chapter before you read too much into this. The linebreaks were a tension break from the story and I kind of overdid it last time. That's all.**

**Tim: You really need to stop worrying about what other people think.**

**Me: It is too early for a lecture.**

**Disclaimer: Blah**

"Timmy...this shouldn't still be happening," Abby said as she came out of the bathroom. "I'm at almost fourteen weeks."

"Have you been getting enough to eat?" McGee asked, concerned for her. She looked thin and pale. Abby shook her head, her eyes filling up with tears.

"Everything I eat...it just comes right back up," She started sobbing into his shoulder. Tim just held her, not knowing what else to do.

"Look, we can go talk to Ducky today and see what he has to say about this, okay? Just calm down, stress isn't good for the baby, remember? I'll be in the car waiting." Abby sniffed and wiped her tears then approached the mirror in the bathroom. She looked much thinner than she should this far along in her pregnancy due to major weight loss, and pale from constantly throwing up everything she ate. She felt a jolt in her stomach. More tears slid down her cheeks as she dry heaved into the toilet. But her stomach was empty, so nothing happened during the next few minutes. Finally she was able to breathe, so she went into her bedroom to get ready. An outfit waited for her, draped elagently and carefully over the closed lid of a coffin used for something more conventional than a funeral. Abby slipped into light, dark fabric without paying much attention to it. After putting her hair up in its usual pigtails and ignoring the makeup for now, she thought she was ready to go. As she left the bedroom, a sudden round of dizziness hit her. It took her so off gaurd that she didn't find the time to let the wall support her weight as she slid to the floor.

****

"Yes?"

"Duck, we've got a problem." He gathered up Abby's lifeless frame in his arms. "I'm coming over."

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you on the way. You are there, right?"

"Always, Timothy. What happened?"

"Well, Abby's been having morning sickness...and things have been escalating out of control lately."

"Defne out of control."

"She hasn't been able to keep anything down for the past week or so. I've tried to get her to eat, but...she's just been too sick. I told her to get ready to come with me to NCIS so you could check on her. I waited in the car and had a feeling something was wrong. Ducky, she fainted. I'm terrified. If this continues, she could lose the baby."

"Wait in autopsy for me. I think I know something that might help. Do you think she'd be able to keep down any medication?"

"I'm not sure."

"If not, we'll have to get her to Bethesda and put her on an IV drip. She needs nutrients for herself and the child."

"Almost there, Duck. See you soon."

"Timmy..." He hung up the phone.

"What, Abs?"

"I don't feel so good."

"I know, I know. But we're going to make sure you get better."

"We?" Abby asked dully from the back of the car.

"Yeah, Ducky's helping me out." Abby had nothing to say to this.

**Line break**

"Looks like he's on the move," Fornell said. "Hades is coming back into town...searching for something. He discarded his revolver in exchange for a rifle, so we better be on the lookout for different bullets."

"Where's he headed?" Gibbs asked.

"I doubt he knows where Abby lives now, but I imagine that is the general direction he is going. Make sure Abby is still under serviallance with McGee."

"Already covered," Vance said. "Dr. Mallard sent me a message telling me he just entered the building with Miss Sciuto."

"Wait...Ducky?" Fornell echoed in confusion.

"Did I stutter, Tobias?" Vance asked mockingly. Gibbs rolled his eyes and went to go get more coffee before things got out of control.

"Really, Director, one would expect more out of you," the FBI agent responded with a slight sigh.

"As it has it, I got word from Dr. Mallard that something has been going on with Miss Sciuto lately. He would not disclose the details, but he did tell me it had something to do with her pregnancy."

"I hope there aren't any complications. There is enough to deal with at the moment withou-"

"Tony, for the last time, w are not having a _Final Fanasty_ theme song for our wedding march!" Ziva growled as she stormed into the squad room, Tony right behind her.

"It was the first thing I could think of!" Tony protested. "I'm sorry, I promise to take this seriously from now on. Just calm down for two seconds so I can think."

"Do either of you have word on Abby's status?" Fornell inquired.

"Nope," Tony said. "McInLove might, though." Fornell was aware of the many nicknames that Tony gave his friend. In fact, sometimes, they amused him to no end. However, today, he found no humor in the tradition.

"Right. Could you two continue your conversation elsewhere? We could actually be onto something with Hades's recent actions here."

"You said he killed his father?" Ziva asked. Fornell nodded. "I can look up Hades to see if I find any envidence of his father to see if there was any sort of motivation behind the murder."

"Good idea. Dinozzo, could you keep an eye on this for me?" He pointed at the MCRT screen. "I need to make a run back to my office real quick and make a phone call. I trust that you can handle a simple task like this one." He was gone before Tony could make any sort of reply or protest.

**Line break- a broken heart stitched back together looks like this: XxxXxxX**

"We've got to catch the bastard."

"How do we do that if he can barely be seen on camera?"

"What is he looking for? There is a path of destruction in his wake."

Hades ignored the voices, pretending they were talking about someone else. Oh, he knew he was being watched. But he knew that they had to look away eventually...so, if they thought he was doing one thing, while they cleaned up his messes, he coud set the true plan in action. Pure genius. Anyone with half a brain could have come up with that kind of loophole to twenty-four hour survalliance.

He kept moving, acting all casual and puropseful as he pretended to search, endlessly search for something. _I have to stop this at some point. They need to think I've got a goal of some sort._ Little did he know that NCIS was smarter than he thought.

**Line break**

"Something's not right about this..." Tony gazed at the screen. "He's not going to do anything the longer I stare at him."

"Perhaps he knows that he is being watched," Ziva said. "Turn off the camera for one hour then see where he is after that. We have to stay one step ahead in order for us to catch him."

"Have I ever told you that I love you?" Tony replied with a grateful smile. He shut off the camera.

"More times than I could ever count, but I never tire of hearing the words." Tony felt his heart melt upon hearing that from the love of his life.

**Line break**

"Where's Abby?" Jewel asked her antisocial daughter. Daniela shrugged and set aside her newest book.

"I haven't seen her at all today. Maybe McGee knows?"

"Brought you guys some donuts," Adien announced, setting the Dunkin' Donuts box down. He grinned at the conversing girls.

"Have you seen Abby?" Jewel inquired. "She was supposed to come in today and help me with something."

"'Fraid I haven't, but I can ask around. I'm sure someone has seen our bonita Abigail someplace."

**Line break**

"Where's Abby?" Jimmy asked, coming into the squad room. "I came in today to ask Dr. Mallard a question and he just walked out the door before I even said two words."

"Seems like nobody knows," Tony said with a shrug. Gibbs looked over at him, wondering whether he deserved a headslap or not.

"Call McGee, then," Gibbs said at last, thinking now was not the time to reprove Tony's behavior.

"Already on it," Ziva told him, holding up her phone for proof. "Hello? McGee, where are you? Alright. Is Abby there? What happened? Is she okay? Be right there." She hung up and looked at an expectant Gibbs and a confused Tony.

"Well?" Gibbs pressed.

"They are at Bethesda." That was all it took to send everyone fighting for the best corner of the elevator, where Gibbs found it hard to reach over anyone for extra headslaps from his usual spot.

**Line break**

Abby woke up to the familiar smell of anesthetic and the sound of beeping monitors. The next thing she registered was whiteness all around her. She tried moving her arm but found that she was on an IV drip. That could mean only one thing...Abby tried to sit up, but felt so dizzy that she fell back onto the pillows. It also made her stomach hurt with more nausea. Moving aroumd, a bad idea for sure.

"Abs, you're awake!" McGee said. "How are you feeling?"

"Hollow," she admitted.

"That would be because you haven't had a full meal since that night at the resturaunt." She was quiet for a moment.

"Do the others know I'm here?" she asked finally.

"Ziva just called me. Apparently you gave everyone quite a scare. Nobody knew where you were."

**Line break**

Hades stomped the timy camera into the dirt and set his eyes on the apartment complex ahead of him.

"Soon, very soon now..." One foot in front of the other, he made his way in competely unnoticed. Depsite his obvious destruction of half of D.C. nobody had ever seen his face, giving him the clear to go anywhere he pleased. The directions to Abby's apartment were scrawled hastily down on a dirty scrap of paper. Hades squinted at it, trying to make sense of his hadnwriting.

"Almost there." So close. Up some steps. Down one hallway, then another. A left, a right, and then he was there. Her apartment. This was where she slept, ate, and relaxed each evening. This was way too easy. He kicked the door open...and found that he was too late. _Think. Where could she be?_ Everything was in place. He wandered into the bedoom and found a book on pregnancy. Suddenly it all made sense. In that moment he knew where to find her. Meanwhile, a certain Director gazed at the MTRC screen and knew something was wrong.

**AN: Pretty short...but I don't have a whole lot of time on my hands. Let me know what you think so far.**


	38. Chapter 38

**AN: OMG I cannot wait for Sept. 20th! Who's just as excited as I am? Let me see a show of hands, NCIS fans!**

**Disclaimer: I said I owned NCIS, but then I realized it was only just a dream... :(**

"Still no word from the other agents?" Jewel dialed Gibbs's number, this time hoping she'd get an answer, seeing as he was never one to refuse any call.

"Yeah Gibbs."

"I want to know what's going on, Agent Gibbs!" she fumed. "Abby has been missing all morning and nobody will answer my questions-"

"Come to Bethesda."

"Who's hurt?"

"Nobody. Just get over here." The call disconnected. She stared at her phone in shock, still not used to Gibbs hanging up after saying hardly more than five words.

**Line break**

"I suggest for you not to do too much moving around for the next few days. This happens in more women than you might think, so do not worry. Until you are able to keep down something solid for more than a couple hours, just suck on these ice chips for now." The doctor's final instructions played over and over again in Abby's head. She sighed, wondering how she was going to raise this child when things were going wrong already. _Sorry, baby...you were just an accident._ But that didn't mean it didn't deserve to live. Oh, no, she could never be that heartless to any living creature.

Alone. She hadn't been alone since...suddenly she couldn't breathe., as if the oxygen were fire in her lungs.

"Timmy!"

**Line break**

Gibbs drove as fast as he dared down the highway. Tony and even Ziva held onto their seats for dear life.

"Gibbs, I suggest you slow down before-" Tony felt too queasy to say anything else.

"Before what?" He made another hairpin turn that almost had them skid over into the next lane.

"Before Abby isn't the only one in the hospital," Ziva finished, ducking her head against Tony's chest. He brushed her hair back, pretending to be the strong one by acting like Gibbs's driving didn't bother him all that much after all.

**Line break**

McGee and Ducky ran into Abby's room, finding her unconscious and Dr. Kelp checking her vitals. They exchanged a glance of confusion. Just minutes before her screams of panic had echoed all down the hall.

"What happened?" Tim asked once he had gathered his thoughts.

"Abby had a panic attack, so I had her sedated to calm her. For some reason, she can't handle being alone. Care to tell me why?"

"Abby was kidnapped and tortured by someone," Tim answered.

"Yes, our dear Abigail went through some very rough times," Ducky added, thinking of the moment she discovered that she was pregnant. Dr. Kelp nodded and made to leave the room.

"I will make sure she is watched more closely, then." Abby stared after where the doctor had vanished, looking rather apologetic.

"Why do I still feel like this?" she exclaimed. "I should be over this by now."

"You're doing fine," Ducky assured her. "A whole lot better than at first."

"But...but...I just had a panic attack from being alone! Do you know how pathetic that makes me?"

"It doesn't make you pathetic," Tim argued. "You just need some help is all. Admitting that takes strength and courage."

"Right. Sorry," Abby muttered.

**Line break**

Runnin, sprinting, his feet barely touched the ground. He didn't think, he just acted. That plan always worked best. People pointed, people screamed, recognizing the blood-soaked cloak that once was able to hide him away from everything in the shadows of the night. Once upon a time he would have taken a gun and silenced their insolence, but that was completely unnecessary. All those other deaths needen't have happened. Now, he was running out of time to get to _her_, the one he still had a chance with.

_**Get there to get your reward for such patience. Rest assured, you've exercised it enough for now.**_

Nearly tripping over air, he made a sharp turn toward the hospital, prepared to find a safe place to hide until the safe early hours that came just before dawn. It was darkest before dawn, which made it the perfect time for him to take action on anything he wanted to do. Plus, no matter what time he went to sleep, he found himself waking up before the sun.

Hades hurtled to a stop in the bushes and took these few minutes to catch his breath. It had rained recently. For the first time since he was twelve, he could catch a glimpse of his reflection. His face was rugged and pale from spending all his time in the hours of night and evening like a vampire. His hair had grown out quite shaggy, so that almost soft and fuzzy dark brown hair came down past his ears and covered part of his face. Hades brushed a few stray strands back. Ice blue eyes gazed up at him. The eyes of a stranger. Twenty years could do a lot to a person. _Two decades of this...can't believe that I'm still alive. Or at least breathing, because all this pain could not be good for someone still standing on the earth physically._

Over an hour later he went to go get something to eat, careful to keep his head tucked into the hooded cloak for convenience. The drug store was helpful in providing Mountain Dew by the can and Doritos. Five dollars, less than ten minutes. In and out. Simple as that. He scarfed down the entire bag of chips while waiting. This was the hardest part. Time stretched on and on. The sun climbed high over his head. He took a gulp of Mountain Dew. _This is going to be a long day._ He leaned back and decided to take a short nap.

**Line break**

"Jewel, I have some news-" Adien started.

"Not now honey, I'm at Bethesda. Abby is having some...complications with her pregnancy from what I've heard from McGee."

"Come home soon," her husband begged. "Daniela's friends are driving me up the wall. That is right, isn't it?" Jewel smiled, thinking of Ziva and the way she messed up English idioms on a daily basis.

"What are they doing now?"

"Daniela and her friends are talking about...boys." Jewel laughed out loud upon hearing that.

"They're just being normal preteen girls. Frankly, I'm relieved Daniela has finally found some kids her own age to talk to. Just let them be, Adien. Everything is fine."

"Yes, but-"

"What?"

"I don't like it."

"That's okay. You're not supposed to. You're her father." She imagined Adien shaking his head at her stereotyping.

"Just please get here as soon as you can."

"I'll be back before you know it."

**Line break**

"Boss, you heard what's going on with Abby?"

"She's sleeping."

"Boss...no, really. Is she okay?" Gibbs nodded and sat down next to Ziva, who was currently zoning out, half awake in her chair.

"That is good to know," Jewel said, putting her phone away. "Adien needs me, so I must get going." She left before anyone could even bother to respond. Tony was quiet for a few minutes, rubbing Ziva's hand gently as a silent reminder of his unyielding support.

"Dinozzo, she's going to be fine," Gibbs said.

"I know. It's not Abby I'm thinking about right now..."

"Hades?" the silver haired man guessed. Tony shrugged.

"What if he was somewhere nearby, right now, waiting for us to leave? What would you do then?"

"Wait for him to think I was gone," Gibbs responded knowledgably.

**Line break**

Hades woke with a start, knowing he couldn't sleep long without having a nightmare of some kind. He forced himself to think about something else. It was currently late afternoon. Most of the NCIS agents had left. Only Agent McGee remained inside somewhere. It was only a matter of time before he got too tired to be alert enough to notice his arrival. More time passed, during which he was able to keep entertained enough by imagining the numerous tortures he could give each person passing the bushes he hid in. _Chains...chains would be the one thing in common. They have to know what that feels like. Surely, they could never feel as trapped as it is possible, because there is always another 'worse case scenario' out there. The possibilities there are endless._ He glanced around. Still nobody noticed his crouching form. He didn't feel cramped at all, an unsurprising thing, considering he was quite limber and used to hiding out like this.

Most people thought waiting was boring, but Hades never minded. He could never run out of distractions for his mind and body. He walked down to the piano store and found a piano. Feeling a little musical, he began to play, pounding out chords to a song that brought him peace of mind.

"Sir...I'd tell you to stop, but you are amazing," a woman said from off to his right. Hades snapped out of his trance. Nope. The pain was still there. And she had seen his face. And yet, he had no other feeling. The pain felt hollow, subdued. But it was very much there.

"I really love Owl City," she continued when he hadn't said anything. "Could you come here sometime, and maybe play something else?"

"I'll see what I can do," Hades promised, but his mind was already on other things. He'd been here long enough already. Time to move on to something else. He went back to his hiding spot, feeling quite content, an emotion he hadn't felt in the longest time. _Ah, Abby can wait. I'll just lay back here...and relax. For now. But I know tonight is the night. So, very soon this feeling will fade._

**AN: So, we're learning a little more about how the mind of our least favorite villian works. *French accent* Very interesting, no? What do you guys think of him? Like him? Hate him? Let me know! I always like being unpredictable, so Hades is exactly that. But I know how he works, so everything he does is only of a mild surprise to me. Things will be heating up again soon...just when they thought they could catch a break, Hades is about to make a majo appearance! As far as I know, none of the major characters will die. Unless you **_**want**_** there to be an all out bloodbath. Hades vs. Team Gibbs and Fornell plus Jewel's little family. Personally I don't like Jewel as a character. I don't think I made her very likable. Maybe she should die. Daniela, for some reason, I like. Same reason with Hades. Maybe it's because they seem more believable. Let me know what you think of my OC's and what should be done with them. Suggestions are welcome! Anyway...review, favorite, alert, do whatever it is you need/desire to do and get on with you life. I'm not going anywhere. Until next time, my friends.**


	39. Chapter 39

**AN: So...hard...to get...inspired! AHH! I don't think just sitting around staring at the ceiling is going to help me either.** **I will try, though.**

**Disclaimer: I'll tell you a little secret. Oh wait you already knew. WHO TOLD YOU? I'm paying them a little visit. *cracks knuckles***

McGee tried his hardest to stay awake, but he just couldn't anymore, and so he began to doze off sometime after midnight that very night. A cloaked figure slipped unnoticed into the room. Not enough hands and eyes were around at this hour. The cloak fell to the floor.

"My dark angel, you are mine," he whispered in long since perfected Latin. A sack was pulled over Abby's head, the IV ripped out of her vein. He quickly gathered her up in his arms.

"Hmm..." Abby stirred slightly, starting to wake up. _Shit! I should've thought this through!_ He clamped a hand over her mouth and thought quickly. Footsteps slowly approached the room. _Think, Hendrick, think...need more time!_ He glanced at the window. _Perfect!_ Not stopping to think of the consequences, he leapt out a fourth story window with Abby in his arms. She woke up just before they both slammed into the ground.

**Line break**

"We discovered a barely conscious pregnant woman at the unusual accident scene surrounded in blood. Doctors confirmed that, miraciously, her child will survive. However, many are unsure as to how she managed to survive a forty foot fall out of a window. A cloak was discovered in her room that did not belong to anyone in the hospital. Security footage shows a man entering the hospital late last night but never leaving it. Some have reported him as a criminal. If anyone sees him call the police at once. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants, whatever it that happens to be. Up next, a word with the President about the tributes to September eleventh." Gibbs switched the television off and cursed.

"Should have been watching her!" Gibbs muttered. He threw his borburn bottle at the wall, where it smashed into pieces.

"Jethro..." Ducky said, "there is nothing we could have done. You will have to accept that." Gibbs shook his head and mounted the stairs of his basement. He had already called the other agents the second he sensed something was wrong. Now it was only a matter of time. Papparazzi would be all over this. They'd want to know who was behind trying to harm someone innocent.

"Going to Bethesda. You coming?"

"Yes, of course."

**Line break**

"Did you see the news?" Tony asked a sleepy Ziva on the way to Bethesda.

"No I did not," Ziva replied grumpily. "What happened?"

"Reporters didn't know much, but from what I saw, I could fill in the blanks myself. Apparently, Hades snuck into the hospital, thinking he could kidnap Abby from there. He made the stupid move of trying to jump out a fourth story window. He disappeared, but left Abby behind."

"Is she alright?"

"I don't know."

"Drive faster."

**Line break**

"Can't catch a break, can she?" Jewel muttered after she had hung up the phone. Daniela lay fast asleep on the couch, unaware of the situation. Adien came into the room, concern written all over his face.

"Mi esposa...out of bed again? What is wrong?"

"Abby..." She was unable to say anything more. "I need to go." His eyes pierced hers with a fierceness that was quite unlike him.

"I'm coming with you."

**Line break**

McGee paced back and forth in the waiting room. How could he have been so stupid. He was _right there_! And yet he still got to her!

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" McGee slammed his fist into the wall, ignoring the resulting pain in his knuckles. He might have heard a crack, but it could very well have been his imagination. Throb. Throb. The steady beat of pain, followed by a mental silence, was all that he was aware of for the next space of time. Then, finally, he got the news that she was out of surgery. Operating on autopilot, he went off in search of Abby's room.

**Line break**

Crawl. Ouch. Breathe. Wait. Repeat. This had been going on for hours, and he'd barely gone five hundred feet away from the hospital. Crawl. Ouch. Breathe. Wait...this was taking too long. But what else was he supposed to do with a broken leg, a broken arm, and three broken ribs?

"That guy does not look so good. Let's get him inside."

"But he's a criminal!"

"I don't care. This man needs help and we are giving it to him. Don't you think he deserves that much?" They pulled him inside. Hades slumped into unconsciousness, unwilling to fight the immense pain anymore.

**Line break**

"What happened?" Abby asked. She was in an empty room, save for a rolling chair with its back turned to her. A woman was sitting in the chair. She detected a familiar head of fiery red hair.

"Jenny!"

"Yes, it is me." She spun around in the chair to face her. "Abby, why are you here?"

"I don't know!" Abby wailed. "I really want to wake up, but it's so cold, and...and..." She dissolved into sobs. "Everything's just so hard right now. Maybe I don't want to go back. He might be there again."

"Who?" Jenny asked.

"Hades."

"You're pregnant. Did he...?" Slowly, she nodded, the realization that this was never going away causing more tears to streak down her cheeks.

"Oh, Abby-" Jenny's own eyes filled with tears of pain. "You do know, as much as I want to be there for you, I can't. I'll be gone the second you wake up."

"I know. But you are here now." Abby got up to hug her, but her arms only passed through the woman, reminding both of them that this illusion could only be so real. They sat in silence, processing this.

"Do you hear that?" Jenny asked, cocking her head slightly. "Sounds like someone is talking. Let's listen, shall we?"

_"Abs, I'm so sorry. This was all my fault. I should've been more watchful of you...Gibbs would headslap me for saying all this, but I just have to. Hades came in after I fell asleep. I fell asleep on the job, Abby! Tony or Ziva wouldn't have done it! I...I don't know what else to say. Please wake up."_

"That was Tim. Wow. Is that what really happened to me, then? Wonder what the damage is." The redhead shrugged, leaning back casually in the chair. Silence rang throughout the purposeless room. Abby was starting to get a little restless, the caffeinated side of her was getting the best of her again. She strained to hear a sound, any sound, but there was nothing. Then, after almost ten minutes of waiting, there was a new voice speaking out from nowhere.

_"Hey, Abby...come on, this isn't an episode of ER. You gotta wake up sometime, right? It's been a few days. Probie here is going nuts. I don't think Gibbs has ever gotten any sleep since he got the news. Ziva, well she is being Ziva. No idea how you'd describe that, exactly. Hah, wow, she's glaring at me now. Better change the subject before she kills me with some office supply. You know, life is pretty crazy at NCIS without you. Just when things got to a new normal, this had to happen. Ziva and I just got back from a doctor's appointment. Guess what? We're having triplets. Pretty cool, right? I was meaning to keep it a surprise, but oh well. Two girls and a boy, wasn't it? No it was three girls. Yeah, three little girls. That has to make you excited, doesn't it? Right? Abby? Abby, come on, please wake up! I'm begging here!"_

That was when it happened. The room flickered in and out of existence ever so slightly. Jenny gave Abby a strange look.

"What just happened?"

"I...I don't know," Abby said in confusion. "Where did you go?"

"I didn't go anywhere. Where did _you_ go?" Abby bit her lip in uncertainty, starting to get a little frightened by all of this.

"Relax, it was probably nothing," Jenny assured her. "Maybe we both blinked at the same time or something."

"Yeah, maybe," Abby said vaguely, though she didn't really believe it. "I really want Kate to be here. Do you think you could...?"

"Why don't you try seeing who's at the door?" the redheaded former Director suggested. At that moment, Abby heard a soft knock at the door. She went over and opened it. Kate flew into the room, grinning like a maniac.

"Abby! Oh my God!" She tried to hug her, but went flying into the wall instead. How odd, Abby thought faintly, but just brushed the thought away.

"Hold on...you're pregnant? Let me guess, you and McGee finally took things to the next step! How awesome!" Kate babbled. Her dark eyes were shining with an excitement Abby wished she could get back, but knew would be nearly impossible at the time.

"Kate, it's complicated," Abby tried to explain, but then the room flickered out again for a little longer this time.

_"Abby, I do not know if you can hear me, but I would like to see your smile again. Even if just for a little while. Although things are different, you still have found the strength to find a way to smile again. I admire you for that. You are a great friend, Abby. Although we did not get along at first our relationship grew into a friendship and now I'd like to think of you as the sister I never had. Do not give up, please. As your friend, I want to see you live, just once more."_

"They want me back," Abby said once Ziva's voice had faded away. "But I do not know how to get there."

"Let nature take it's course, then," Jenny said. Kate had calmed down a little and was now leaning casually against the wall she had run into a few minutes before.

"What?" Kate said with a slight laugh. "You have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?"

_"Abigail, it has been over two weeks since Hades attempted to make off with you again. There has been no change. I can only imagine what is keeping you away from us..."_

"Ah, I was always fond of Ducky," Kate said, her eyes misting up a little. "Time sure passes..." It happened again, then three more times, each time she was seperated from the strange room a little longer. Abby decided to just wait it out to see if it would eventually stop. Finally, she could gain some sort of sense of sanity.

"What's going on?" Kate asked, narrowing her eyes and scanning the room in suspicion.

"Something is pulling me back..." Abby's voice trailed off.

_"Abby...please wake up! Do you know how long it's been?"_ That was Tim again, desperately whining to her in whatever state he happened to be in.

"I wish I knew how to get out of here."

_"Open your eyes, Abs."_

Immediately, Abby obeyed. She found herself in the hospital, surrounded by loved ones. They gazed at her for some time in shock.

"How...how long was I out?" she asked feebly.

"A month and a half," Tony deadpanned. Everyone was silent.

"The baby. Is the baby okay?"

"The baby is the least of your problems," Ziva said sadly. "The doctors have no idea how you escaped major organ damage. You have two broken legs, bruised ribs, and were in a coma for six and a half weeks."

"Is the baby okay?" Abby repeated frantically.

"It is a miracle the child survived such trauma," Ducky said. "Someone broke your fall." Abby looked from Ducky over to Gibbs, who was holding her hand.

"Gibbs," she murmured.

"Yes, Abs?"

"Thanks." She smiled softly at him.

"Wasn't my doing," he replied modestly, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"How much longer do I have to be on these casts?" Abby asked.

"At least until the end of the month," Tony told her. "But physical therapy means you'll have to be an outpatient for another three months at the most."

"Well...in that case, you and I are probably going to be watching a lot of movies," Abby said jokingly, managing another smile. That was when everyone else knew it was going to be okay, because Abby was smiling. As long as she was happy, everyone else would be too.

**AN: Awww! That got a little mushy, didn't it? Seems like things are headed for a resolution pretty quickly. Or are they? Hmm...**


	40. Chapter 40

Recovery. It was slow. It was painful. But eventually Hades was up and about again, thanking those kind people for nursing him back to health. At first, he instantly headed back in the direction of Bethesda, but something pulled him in the opposite direction instead. It was as if someone was trying to tell him something. Finally, he came to a stop outside a large white building. An asylum. Should he admit himself here?

_"Never ever good enough, are you, son? Why must you always be a disappointment to me?"_

_"That chick is no good for you. She's nothin' but a distraction for your education!"_

_"Dump her or else."_

He clamped his hands over his ears, begging for it to stop. Instead of entering the building, he just ran and ran and didn't stop. There had to be an escape. There just had to be. This felt too real to belong to him. He had to cast this on someone else.

Before he knew it, a new victim was chained to the wall, silently begging for mercy as he repeated the familiar tortures that comforted him. But it was like a drug. He couldn't stop until they were successfully broken. It was the same thing every single time. Pain, release, guilt, an endless cycle that was slowly killing him on the inside, leaving him hollow and brittle. How could he still be walking, breathing even, if this life was so undeserving of his existence? Nobody wanted him, and yet he still trudged across the earth, an infected thing everyone tried to avoid.

So, painfully, Hades continued this meaningless meandering around, using the torture only when he was at his absolute worst in order to ease his own suffering. Days turned to weeks, then months. He blinked, and suddenly it was autumn. When did that happen? When did it all get so...complicated? When did he stop caring that time passed at all? And so he fell, giving up on the completely useless world that had long since rejected his existence.

**Line break**

Abby had an interesting time recovering. There were many bumps in the road, of course, but after another two months she was finally considered well enough to work full time again. She was now in her third trimester of the pregnancy and time was just flying by. Weeks ago she and McGee had learned the child they were about to have was a boy. Jewel and Adien went out of their way to help get them a nursery prepared. Meanwhile, Ziva and Tony gave birth to three perfectly healthy triplets: Taliah, Jane, and Maria. Ziva was forced to stay home and care for them. Tony was more than happy to stay with her. So, it was on this day in September that McGee approached her.

"Abs, we need to talk," he shouted over the music. She nodded and turned down the volume so she could hear him.

"What about?" She was currently sitting barefoot in the rolling chair due to the swelling in her ankles.

"Marriage." Abby was silent for a minute, contemplating the word.

"We never did discuss that," she agreed quietly. "I'm still...not sure. Maybe after we have the baby. I don't know."

"I understand. You're scared. This is something completely new to you. But you know what? I'll always be here for you, don't you know that?" She nodded in understanding, looking up at the window. Although Abby was very much physically and mentally healed, she was much more serious and less energetic than before. But part of that could be due to the fact that she was six months pregnant, McGee reasoned silently.

**Line break**

"Things seem to be pretty calm," Jewel noted. Daniela, now twelve, sat sketching in her notebook while her friend Stacey chatted on the phone with someone. Lately Daniela had become more open on her own, without help from anyone whatsoever.

"Indeed," Adien agreed in Spanish. Jewel had been learning more Spanish in all those late nights at the hospital. So, instead of giving her husband a confused look, she smiled at him, pleased to be understanding his native language more and more by the day.

"Don't you feel like things are a little _too_ calm, though?" she asked nervously. Daniela and Stacey were currently having and argument about _Twilight_.

"Only every day," Adien replied casually, wrapping his arm around her waist.

**Line break**

He was drowning. Choking. Dying. Nobody could save him. He threw everything into the torture techniques, perfecting each injury to the point he could do it without looking, not that he would, for he loved watching the blood stream out over the ground. Someone else's life force flowing out forever. But not enough to kill. No, never enough to kill. He brought each one within an inch of their life, then abandoned them, leaving them to fend for themselves. Soon someone would notice these once innocent women missing. Perhaps someone already had. Not that it mattered. He didn't care about being seen anymore. Always, always, that same sensation haunted him so completely that the darkness became his consciousness. But something was there. That was the worst part of it all. Days, he'd sleep, fighting away the demons whispering in his ear, telling him his fears and discomforts. Nights, he'd become the monster he feared so much, but couldn't rid of, because he couldn't live without it. A slice here, a puncture there. It was all so automatic now that he no longer thought of it as bad for the victims. Why should they matter, when he never did? _I know your fears. I have seen your thoughts. There is no escape. You will never escape. You don't want to escape._ And so it started again. Hades squirmed in his near sleep, knowing there was no fighting the terror any longer.

Falling, falling, ever so slightly, down. Was there ever an end to this sensation of feeling so helpless? He mentally scrambled for any sense of stability, but that only made him fall faster into that abyss. Unless he was already there. Light, happiness, if they existed, certainly were things that would never enter his mind again. Desperately, he searched for an escape, knowing that there was none. It was a defense mechanism.

"We need you to come quietly," the man instructed. "You have done enough damage."

"Can't...stop...no," Hades mumbled in a garbled language only he could understand. So he did the one thing he could. He ran. It was the only way. But he couldn't escape his own mind. He was a permenant prisoner there. On and on. Constant torture. Gnashing teeth of a demon so horrible not even the most fearless could avoid quaking at the sight of such an apparition. His torture had finally taken a lifelike appearence. After twenty years, he could actually see the thing tearing him apart from the inside out. Scarlet, hungry eyes blazed with an impatient desperation. It howled into the deep midnight sky. Hades clamped his hands over his ears and cried out in pain from the high keening sound. He was the only one who could hear it. He was alone in the dark. And yet...the creature was right there in front of him.

"You must be admitted into a mental hospital." Hades whirled around and growled at the stranger. He was beyond reason. The doctor was new to the mental hospital, so he had not dealt with cases like these, leaving him unprepared for the feral man pouncing on top of him.

"Kill," Hades ordered the creature in Latin. It obeyed. Fanglike teeth pierced soft, vulnerable flesh with no trouble. He left the scene with bloodstained teeth and hands, dripping with the latest kill. Whether things felt worse or better, he had no idea. But the falling sensation had stopped, so that had to mean something. Now it was more like stalking, searching. Still on the prowl for a place in this world ignighted with such violence and gore. Blood of an innocent one still trickled down into the dirt, the crime scene left untouched for some minutes now.

**Line break**

_Meanwhile..._

"That was so much fun!" Daniela laughed as they left the movie theater. "Stace, you're the best friend I've ever had!"

"Aww, really that's so sweet!" Sacey said. "I've never had a best friend before."

"I've never had a friend." The two girls were silent for a moment. "Hey, what's that?" Stacey pointed into the darkness at something Daniela couldn't see.

"I don't know...hold on a second." She pulled out her phone and shined it onto the ground. The bright, blue light flooded the area, revealing a mangled body riddled with teeth marks, scratches, and bruises.

"Oh my God," Stacey breathed. The sight was horrifying. "We need to call somebody."

**Line break**

"Really, boss? At this hour? Is Fornell in on this too? Alright, I'll be right there. On your six as always." Abby stirred uneasily in her sleep. McGee carefully crept out of the room and got dressed. _Wonder if Tony got the call, too...guess I'll find out when I get there._ He quickly got dressed and arrived on the scene. Daniela was there, as well as a friend of hers, who was already being interrogated by Tony.

"Made it just in time," Tony said, approaching McGee a few minutes later. "I'll start bagging stuff, you dust everything for prints." There wasn't much to look at, except for blood and a few hairs here and there.

"Hold up," Tim said, bending over near the body's head. "There's a paint chip here."

"Gotta get that to Abby...I mean Jewel. Abby's probably unavaliable."

"You thought right. Bag that, Tony. Daniela's friend give you any information?"

"Not really. She was pretty freaked out, though. Said she's never seen a body before except on television and in movies."

"Name?"

"Stacey. She became recent friends with Daniela." McGee nodded and helped get a second sample of the paint.

"Anything else here?" Tony shook his head. "Just a little plaster, but I think that came from the same place. Alright. Tell Ducky that he's clear for investigation." Tim turned to call for Ducky, but the ME had already appeared at his side. Jimmy was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Palmer?" Tony asked.

"He is-"

"Right here," Jimmy said breathlessly. "I'm sorry to have taken so long. Ziva had an emergency with the triplets, and I was the only one to answer her call."

"What a horrible way to die," Ducky said sadly, gazing at the body. "You did not go peacefuly, young man. But we will put you at peace soon enough, that much is certain."

"Time of death?" Gibbs prompted, arriving on the scene. Ducky took the thermometer from Jimmy. A few moments later he looked up, having gottent he reading he needed.

"Less than an hour ago."

"Killer can't have gone far...let's go, Fornell's crew will be wanting a report on this."

**Line break**

_Are you satisfied? Does the sensation of blood on your hands send your own at a rush of excitement? Does the screams of another send a chill of joy down your spine? Is the thought of dumping the body someplace cause happiness that it was a job well done? Are you...a monster?_

"I don't know," Hades answered aloud. But what he did know was that the whole game had changed. His eyes glinted meancingly in the dark. The creature padded into the night, off to kill again. Its hunger for blood, for pain, for the suffering of another, was never satisfied. This thing was a part of him. Though he never actually moved, he could feel the earth in his hands and the smell of the forest filled his nostrils. Off to find new ways of causing pain. It seemed such things were in endless supply. People. Blood. Flesh. Pain. They all interrelated somehow. It was this creature's job to find out how.

Hades blinked. He was in another city. He wiped the dirt off of his hands and started toward the first building he saw. Before the next killing happened, he needed something to eat. He couldn't afford to starve himself like this. It wasn't good for him, or the creature, at all. _Now I've got a whole other being to tend for._ _Rare meat. That should be good enough for now. Need to find out what it eats._ Thinking about someone other than himself and his own suffering gave him a strange feeling.

"Welcome to Arby's! Your table is right this way, sir." Perfect. Rare steaks? He couldn't have picked a better time to come. For the first time in what felt like an age, a hint of a smile creeped across his face, but to anyone who looked, the smile was more creepy than genuine and joyful. And to anyone who saw him, they could've sworn his eyes glinted in a wolfish, devilish type way, staring out into the world in the sort of way that was not normal in a person.

**Line break**

"We have word of a suspicious looking man out here in Gerogetown," the newscaster was saying. "He was last seen in a resturaunt called Arby's. He is known to have strange eyes and an unusual way of carrying himself."

"It's like he's hunched over," the anchorman said, looking at the video as it played back Hades entering the resturaunt. Several people gave him strange, even horrified looks, but he didn't appear to notice. The video was less than a minute long. "Like Hunchback of Norte Dame, huh? Thanks, Susan. Better keep your doors double bolted tonight, Gerogetown citizens. This guy looks pretty dangerous."

"Wow, he is really on the move," McGee noted. "Look, I better get back and check on Abby. I will see you in the morning, Director." He turned and walked out of MTAC. _Bite marks...what the hell is Hades up to that has him resorting to using his own teeth as a weapon? Is he even making sense anymore?_

**AN: Not very much Abby or Ziva, but this was more of a transition chapter. Hades is becoming very interesting, isn't he? He's officially unstable. Once you hit that point, things only get worse from there. That 'creature' may end up being the death of him. Review, let me know what you think.**


	41. Chapter 41

_How real this feels, the sensation of being watched  
>Back and forth, ceaseless motion<br>It is enough to make anyone sick with fear  
>Worse than torture, worse than pain<br>Waiting, watching, wanting, needing  
>Pain is survival<br>Pain is needed to live and exist_

- a portion of the poem Haunting that I finished today

I was kind of weirded out with what happened to it, so I may edit it and post the whole thing later. Not sure what to do with it yet. Anyway, on with the story.

Disclaimer: I own the OC's, this poem, these headphones...and my imagination, of course. That's about it.

Jewel stared so hard at the computer screen that she was practically burning a hole in the thing. Hours had passed, and still no results. She had gone through almost every single data base with no success. She was exhausted, frustrated, and at the last of her patience. There was no sound save for the quiet hum of machines in the lab. Daniela was in the squad room playing Twister with Stacey, McGee, and Tony. It was almost 20:00.

"Jewel, you need to take a break," Adien said. She jumped, startled.

"Where have you been?"

"Visiting Ziva. She was getting lonely." The computer beeped, announcing that there was no match. Again. Jewel cursed and tried the only theory she had left: the results of a DNA test from Abby's kidnapping months ago.

"We should go out tomorrow night." At that moment, the computer made a loud announcement.

"Got our killer," Jewel said. "Get Gibbs to-hello, Gibbs." She hadn't even looked up, but Adien turned and saw the man standing behind him.

"Who?" Gibbs asked.

"Hades. Are you surprised?"

"Nope."

"But why was he biting the guy over and over?" Adien asked increduously. "You did say he had a whole supply of weapons at his disposal, didn't you?"

"Yes," Jewel replied. "My theory is that he has finally hit the edge, or more like went over it. He's lost his mind, in laymen's terms." Jewel only spoke like this when she was in a mood.

"Very good work" Gibbs approved. He left the lab.

"Unngh. I am huge," Abby complained. She was currently sitting at Ziva's desk watching everyone play Twister.

"Right on red," Tony said before turning to Abby. "Don't worry, the last few months are pretty quick. Hey, Stacey, you're cheating!" Abby rolled her eyes and looked down at Ziva's desk, wondering when her friend was going to return to work.

"Abs?" She had been quieter much longer than she had thought. The Twister game was now put away. Daniela and Stacey were leaving the squad room, getting bored.

"Yeah?" Gibbs walked back into the bullpen, looking casual, but something in his face betrayed otherwise.

"You okay?"

"Oh...yeah, I'm fine. Just sore and tired. Nothing unusual. Did Jewel get any results, Gibbs?"

"Yup," Gibbs replied, sitting at his desk, coffee in hand. "Hades is on the move again." Abby blinked, unsurprised by this. But Tony didn't miss the flicker of fear that passed across her face. She still secretly thought that Hades would come back for her someday, though everyone knew that at this point the liklihood of such a thing was very slim.

"What drugs is this guy on?" Tony muttered. "I'm going to see Ducky so I can get a report from him on the autopsy."

"You do that, Dinozzo." He was gone. Abby was quiet. After a minute, she winced in pain. Gibbs didn't think anything of it at first. But when her discomfort didn't pass, he started to get a little worried.

"Abs, you alright?"

"It's just...Braxton Hicks contractions," Abby explained, wincing again. "Ah, okay. I'm good now." McGee was over behind her at once, asking where the pain was coming from and if she needed anything. Gibbs watched them from a distance. _Wonder why they haven't gotten married yet. Are they waiting to have the kid first?_

"I could really use some water right now, though," Abby was saying. "You don't really have to-"

"But I want to," Tim interrupted. "Isn't that reason enough to take care of you?" Abby smiled at him. He went off toward the vending machines one floor below.

"What's the holdup?" Gibbs asked casually, strolling over to where Abby was trying to relax for the evening.

"Huh?" She looked up at him, her green eyes tired and confused.

"Why haven't you two decided on marriage yet?"

Abby sighed. All she wanted to do right now was get some sleep. Being interrogated like this did nothing to help her mood. "Remember what I told you all those years ago when you asked why McGee and I broke up the first time? The same thing is applying here!" She was on her feet now, yelling at him. "I'm afraid of commitment, okay? I'm scared as heck of walking down that aisle after agreeing to be with someone forever, only to find I was abandoned! I'm scared out of my mind! I don't want to take that risk, so I won't."

"I remember you telling me this, word for word," Gibbs said. "But you must be willing now."

"Of course I am!" Abby blurted out. "I was afraid before, because nobody seemed like the right guy. But that was because none of them were Tim. Of course I'd marry him."

"So why don't you?"

"Because I'm fat, pregnant, horomonal, and tired all the time. I'm sure Tim is willing to give it a year or so, when I'm twelve pound lighter and our kid is able to walk on his own." At that moment, she realized what she had said. All the air rushed out of her.

"Oh..."

"So, is that really what you think?" Tim asked teasingly, handing her a water bottle. "In a year, of course I will. Sounds easy enough. Want to go home now that Jewel got the results?" Abby twisted the water bottle open and nodded. "Alright, let's go, then."

Down in autopsy, Tony wasted no time in walking straight up to Ducky, determined to find out whatever information he could.

"Hey, Duckman, any reason why Hades has become Dracula?" Ducky looked up, having just put the body away moments ago.

"I have one theory," he said quietly. "From my observations, it appears Hades has been on a downward spiral from the very beginning. Something triggered this final breakdown, and now he is a madman on the loose. Medically, there is something wrong with the way his mind is working. But that is making him all the more dangerous."

"Interesting," Tony commented. "Wish I had a reference here...maybe _Wilfred_ but that doesn't quite fit. Oh well. Better get home to Ziva. She wants me home at a reasonable time tonight."

"See you in the morning, Anthony," Ducky called after him.

"What did I miss?" Jimmy asked, coming into autopsy just moments later. Ducky merely sighed. This was something that commonly happened to the poor assistant.

"Mr. Palmer, I'm going to head home. Could you get the lights on your way out?"

Tony entered the apartment to find Ziva fast asleep on the couch and all three infants also sleeping. It had been a long day. He deserved a break. Life was mostly going well. He poured himself a glass of wine in the kitchen. Sometimes, a quiet evening was nice. Tony took a sip of red wine, feeling calmer and more at ease already.

"Ah, this has got to be a good life," he said to himself. Really, being an agent was a pretty good life, not to boast or anything, but the more he lived life, the more true such a statement appeared to be. He downed the last of his wine, wondering whether he should have another glass.

_'Something triggered his final breakdown...there is something wrong with the way his mind is working.'_ Hadn't they known such a thing all along? Maybe he did need to loosen up a little more. After a second, and a third glass of wine, that was probably enough. He had work in the morning and did not need to wake up with a hangover. He collapsed onto the couch, bottle in hand for some reason. When had that gotten there? Tony listened, and heard a familiar ringtone coming from his pocket. He set aside the bottle and scrambled to answer it before it could wake Ziva up.

"Special Agent Dinozzo," Tony whispered into the reciever. At that moment, one of the triplets woke up and started crying. Ziva jolted up instantly and looked around for the source of the noise. Grumbling to herself, she got off the couch and went off into the nursery.

"Tony, about that day...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried so much. Think we could meet up sometime this weekend? I'd like to catch up more properly."

"Uh...yeah, I don't know about that. Things are crazy around here again."

"I could come by."

"If you want. I've got to warn you, Ziva gets jealous quite easily. Bring a friend along if you have to."

"So, Saturday at noon? Your place?"

"I haven't exactly been...living there. I moved out." The crying in the background had stopped, leaving him more room to think.

"Oh really? Where are you living now?"

"With Ziva," Tony replied with a slight wince, wondering what Jeanne would think of that. There was a silence as she took time to proces this news.

"I don't regret a thing," she whispered. "You know that."

"Of course I-what was that?"

"Someone is in my house! Tony, what do I do?"

"Stay there. I'll be right-" There was a scream, and then the line went dead.

_**One minute ago- Jeanne's house**_

Hades crept into the bedroom where a redheaded woman was talking on the phone to someone.

"Oh really? Where are you living now?" He was right behind her. But then the woman turned around and saw him, then gasped in shock. He had to act fast.

"Someone is in my house! Tony, what do I do?" Hades lunged toward her, kitchen scissors in hand.

**Line break**

**NCIS(MTAC)- 23:45**

"We can't keep this up any longer," Fornell said to Vance late that night. Yet another body had been discovered. The regular procedures had been done, but no further conclusions had been drawn.

"We'll have to send someone in to shoot him down," Fornell continued when Vance hadn't said anything. "Who do you propose will be able to do the job?"

"Agent David has been trained in the Mossad," Vance said. "She's more than capable. Alright, I'll give her the assignment. I will keep you posted, Agent Fornell."


	42. Chapter 42

**Me: Hi. Sorry for delays. My mom is out of town and my grandmother does not have wireless internet, so I couldn't update last night. But I'm here now!**

**Abby: Yeah. Uh huh. Stop stuffing your face with Cheetos and write the stupid chapter already!**

**Me: I find that rather offensive. I don't even own Cheetos. Are you on crack or something?**

**Abby: I refuse to answer that question.**

**Me: In THAT case, a quick note to you guys. I promise to stop asking for reviews since I'm, well, not getting any lately.**

**Abby: And we are how many chapters in now?**

**Me: Yeah, what she said.**

**Abby: Wasn't there something else we need you to-**

**Me: NOPE! Moving on!**

**Abby: say to-**

**Me: LALALA**

**Abby: -everyone-**

**Me: SHUTUP**

**Abby: -about the-**

**Me: You better stop right there, Abby!**

**Abby: -discalaimer?**

**Me: WHY? Why are you my eternal punishment?**

**Abby: Why indeed?**

Vance wasn't able to pull anyone aside from their work until a week later, when Gibbs decided the information they had gotten wasn't going to get the agents any further. Abby was at a doctor's appointment with McGee, so the only one available was Tony.

"Agent Dinozzo," Vance called. "Come with me, please."

**Line break**

"Timmy," Abby whined as they left the doctor's office. "I'm hungry." That seemed to be her statement of the day.

"Don't worry, we'll go out and get lunch. What do you want to eat?"

"Could we stop by Subway?"

"Anything for you." Abby smiled. They got into the car. At first, things were very quiet. Then Tim stopped the car just outside of Subway, but he didn't turn off the engine. Instead, he reached over and turned off the radio, a silent signal that meant he wanted to talk about something important.

"Abby, could you step out of the car, please?" She nodded and did as she was told, a confused look on her face. _Where did I put that thing...?_ Tim frantically searched his pockets. They were empty. _Oh no...I left it at work!_

"Um, you know what, never mind," he said, turning off the car and joining her, trying to hide his internal panic. "Why don't you go ahead and order for us? Just get me my usual from there. I'll be with you in a minute." The second he was alone, he whipped out his cellphone and pressed speed dial # 1.

"Boss? We've got a problem."

**Any guess as to what's going on? Oh hey look...CHEETOS! *yummy***

"So, that'll be three Happy Meals, two number sevens, and Quarter Pounder with no cheese."

"Just bring it into my office," Fornell said into his phone. He hung up, not realizing that Vance had already headed back into MTAC with Tony. "Alright, great. I didn't know McDonald's could take phone orders."

"I also didn't know you were taking phone orders," Vance said. Fornell looked up in shock.

"Sorry, Director." Tony smirked at the FBI agent. "I see you brought in Agent Dinozzo. Is he on for the assignment you mentioned last week?"

"What assignment?"

"Kill Hades." Tony didn't even blink.

"You can count on me, Director."

**Tonite Imma fight till we see the sunlight Tik Tok on the clock but the party won't stop, no WHOA WHOA WHOA! WHOA WHOA WHOA! (Abby: Slow it down there...this isn't American Idol!)**

"Catch," Gibbs called, tossing the small box to him. Right at that moment, Abby came out with the Subway bag.

"Thanks, Gibbs. This means a lot to me. And I mean more than just the ring. You..actually allowing me to date Abby. I feel more lucky than you could possibly imagine."

"Believe me, I know. Now go get her." In the same moment Abby came up to McGee, Gibbs vanished, driving off to NCIS. McGee quickly put the box into his shirt pocket and planted a brief kiss on Abby's cheek.

"What was that for? Not that I didn't enjoy it or anything." Tim shrugged. "Can we eat now? I'm starving."

"Of course we can."

**I am not owner of show :( But I AM the owner of my imagination. I'd be worried if I wasn't the owner of it...by the way where are my Cheetos?**

Ziva thought she knew every form of torture known to man. Burning the skin, kinves to the throat, guns to the temple, she had done(and been through) everything. But it seemed boredom was the worst form of torture of all. She felt restless and uneasy just sitting there. But the slightest noise woke any one of the week and a half old triplets. She listlessly flipped through _As I Lay Dying_, which had been read six times already that week.

"I need to get out of the house. Oh wait, I can't." Talking to yourself. The first sign of madness. And it hadn't even been a month yet. She sighed and slumped over, slipping into the world of silence and deep thought.

**FEAR IS ONLY...oh crap I did it again...stupid caps lock**

"You wanted to...ask me something?" Abby said after we had eaten lunch.

"Step out of the car," McGee said quietly. "This is important." Heart hammering in her chest, she obeyed, wondering what Tim could possibly want with her at a time like this. It's not like he was going to-

"Abby, I've loved you from the first moment I set eyes on you. I was too stupid to see the connection we had for years, and was estatic when we started dating, for real this time. I'm more happy than you can imagine that I'm about to become the father of this child, even though he isn't biologically mine. But I don't want to be your friend. I've done too much of that. I don't want you to be my girlfriend either. That term sounds too temporary for me. We've done that for quite some time now. No, I don't think wife is the right word either, but it will have to do. Abby...will you marry me?" She stared. And stared. And stared. That ring was the only thing she could see.

_Do you love him?_

_Yes, but-_

"Yes, I'll marry you," Abby said. Tim laughed as he put the ring on her finger.

"We're actually getting married!" he cried out, getting to his feet. He clasped her hands in his and just gazed at her in pure joy. "We're getting married! Do you know how long I've waited for this?"

"Do you know how long I've waited for...us?" he continued in a quieter, more serious tone, placing his right hand on her stomach, where the baby kicked furiously now and then.

"I have a pretty good idea _exactly_ how long _I _have been waiting for _this_," a new voice said from behind them.

"Holy shit," McGee whispered. Understatement of the century. Hades was back, and he was worse than ever in his craziness.

**Line break**

Tony hadn't exactly gotten the chance to mourn Jeanne, due to the stress of the current situation, but as he drove to the location Vance had given him, he took this moment to decide whether he was actually sad about her being murdered or not. Yes, he had loved her, and her death was painful to think about, but it didn't effect him as much as he thought it would.

"Guess she wasn't all that important to me," Tony muttered, turning into a parking lot where he saw a familiar Goth scientist and tech geek staring in shock at his target. Well, that was rather unexpected. But now there was something at stake, which made the assignment that much more difficult. He stopped the car and ran out, SIG in hand.

"NCIS, drop your weapons!" Tony shouted. Hades didn't even blink. He didn't seem concerned.

"Go ahead and kill me, then," Hades said, his eyes locked on Abby still. "Nobody will miss my absence." _Damn suicidal criminals. They made this so much harder._ Tony raised his gun and pulled the trigger. There was a click, but no bullets. Oh no. He had left the magazine in the car. Hades chuckled darkly.

"How classic. Rookie agent forgets his precious bullets. I use those pretty things all the time. Love the sound. Bang, bang." His blue eyes were dark and crazed, long beyond reason. Blood stained his hands, teeth, and mouth. He looked like a deranged monster from hell. Tony spat at the ground in disgust and threw the now useless gun aside. He was going to have to follow rule nine in this case. Abby's rule nine. He whipped out a revolver used for emergencies. Well, this qualified as an emergency. During all of this, Abby and Tim were having a silent conversation. Sign language. It seemed like they were having an argument of some kind. Tony thought that it wasn't the best time to interrupt them. It would ruin his focus of the moment.

"You...need to die," Tony said. "Enough people have been killed." Hades sighed, not concerned in the least of the sight of the weapon being pointed in his face.

"Yeah, so typical. Nobody will, or even wants to understand me. Well, maybe I just want you to _listen_!" For a moment, the man's control slipped, and Tony could see some of the inner workings of his mind.

"You think I have the time to listen to the likes of you when my friends are in danger?" Tony asked in a low voice.

"Fine, they can go," Hades said vaguely, waving them off. Tim and Abby left the scene, glad to get out unharmed. "Now that we are along, it is clear that you're here to kill me no matter what I do or say. But wouldn't it be better if you had closure, rather than always living in doubt of my actions?" Tony was quiet as he thought about this. Did this guy have a conscience? It was highly unlikely. "While I still have a rational mind...you might as well listen. You're not getting any younger, and my time is running out. I can see your finger close to the trigger. You are thinking about killing me before I can explain things. Not a wise idea."

"What do you have to say?" Tony sighed, wondering where this was going.

"Well, what do you want to know?"

"You've changed over time. Why?"

"Define...over time."

"Between Abby's second kidnapping and now, the game has changed. You have been killing without reason when before your goal was simple."

"Yeah, I knew it. You're mocking me." His rational side was gone. A beast had taken over. An animal, hungry for death and blood.

"I have done nothing of the sort," Tony said calmly.

"Lies!" Hades shrieked, but it sounded more like a growl now. He was close to getting on all fours. Well, now this was interesting. He screamed something in Latin and lunged for Tony's throat. Tony, wasting no time, fired three shots in quick sucession. They each hit their mark, and Hades crumpled to the ground, bleeding and moaning in pain.

"You had me right until the whole 'not a wise idea' thing," Tony said. "Only Gibbs tells me what to do, sometimes not even then." He walked to his car, leaving Hades to die, making sure to grab his SIG on the way. Rule eleven. When the job is done, walk away. Only Gibbs would have such a rule.

**AN: AND THEY ALL DIED. THE END. Just kidding. I STILL CAN'T FIND ANY CHEETOS! FOR GOD'S SAKE!**

**Tony: *snickers***

**Abby: Gimmie the freakin' Cheetos already, you d-!**

**Tim: That does not sound pretty coming out of your mouth, Abby.**

**Abby: Shut the f- up, Tim!**

**Tony: She's high off of Cheetos, let it go, McFortyYearOldVirgin.**

**Tim: ANOTHER movie reference. I'm going to go get that SIG and shoot you in the-**

**Gibbs: You better not finish that sentence, McGee.**

**Tim: Yes, boss.**

**Me: Just give me my Cheetos and nobody will be harmed.**

**Abby: NO! MY CHEETOS! *hogs bag***

**Ziva: This is getting ridiculous. Abby, cut it out.**

**Me: You better not provoke her like that. She can kill you with no evidence.**

**Ziva: I will believe it when I see it. I think I deserve the Cheetos more than either of you since I am the most mature about the-**

**Tony: Oh, shut up.**

**Ziva: *attacks Tony with super ninja skillz***

**Me: *sigh* I didn't really want them anyway...**

**Abby: YAY! *eats more Cheetos***


	43. Chapter 43

**AN: I doubt Abby's Metallica trivia is right but just go along with it!**

**Disclaimer:**

**Me: *shouting* Hey, do we own it yet?**

**Gibbs: Nope**

**Me: DARN IT!**

**Gibbs: *smirks***

_Six months later_

Six months had passed since that day in the parking lot. Six glorious, wornderful, dynamic months of the third trimester, marriage, and the birth of Rylan Anthony McGee. Abby was holding him in her arms now. He had fallen asleep over two hours ago. The little three-and-a-half month old was small for his age, but was healthy in every respect of the word. He carried traits from Abby, but it was uncertain as to whether he would look more like Tim or Hades. Only time would tell if he'd recieve innocent green eyes or familiar haunted blue ones. For now, Abby decided not to worry about that. _Surely Hades will not be missed. He never even had any friends._ These thoughts cheered her up considerably. She decided to pay Ziva a visit on her way to NCIS. Ziva's maternity leave was only going to last a few more days, while Abby still had weeks and weeks saved up for something like this. Rylan stirred, close to waking. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and began to wail.

"Sh, you're okay, my little angel," Abby said softly, trying to calm down the distressed infant. Fifteen minutes passed in this fashion before Rylan finally fell silent. She made sure he was fed and changed before heading to Ziva's apartment.

**Line break**

"So, how's the married life?" Tim asked Tony with a grin.

"Oh you know," Tony replied casually. "The usual. Arguments. Make up sex...which pretty much makes the arguments fun for me, so I try to-ouch, thanks, boss." Tony rubbed the back of his head and continued typing up the report of their last case.

"When does Ziva plan on coming back, by the way?"

"Monday. We'll probably have a new case by then." Tim privately agreed, but thought that a new case might come even sooner than that.

"Good morning!" Daniela called, smiling at the agents. She was a homeschooled student, so she could always come into NCIS whenever she wanted and bring her assigned work for the day. Daniela was smart enough to figure out most things on her own.

"Chipper much?" Tony quipped "What has you all cheerful?" The preteen just gave him a small smile and sat at Ziva's desk. Tony finished with the report and handed it off to Gibbs, fresh off the printer. Gibbs set it down without looking at it. Daniela hummed peacefully to herself, practically acting like a whole new person. Gibbs watched her carefully, wondering why she was being so different today. A few minutes later, he got his answer. The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open.

"Timmy!" Abby brought the stroller to a stop in front of McGee's desk. Rylan happily smiled up at his father. Tony stared at her in shock. Despite all her inactivity from being a full time mother to an infant, Abby hardly looked like she had been pregnant at all. Daniela and Gibbs were the only ones who looked unsurprised, for different reasons.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I made a quick stop by Ziva's to see how the triplets were doing, oh you should see them, they're getting so big! And then I thought I'd surprise you by coming here! Plus little Rylan misses you like crazy. So...surprise!"

"Ada!" Rylan cried out, his whole face alight with joy. Tim smiled at him.

"Well, why don't you go down into your lab? I think Jewel would want to see how the kid is doing. She hasn't heard from you since he caught that cold, and that was over two months ago."

"See you later," Abby said in a singsong voice. She took the elevator down to her lab, thinking about Jewel's possible reaction when she eventually walked in there.

"I said I wanted decaf!" Jewel shouted as her husband left the lab with a cup of coffee in his hand.

"Right on it-oh hello, Abby. I see you brought Rylan with you."

"I'm not sending him to daycare for awhile, Adien. Pardon me, stroller coming through." She pushed the stroller into the lab. Jewel wasn't facing Abby, or even paying attention for that matter, so she did not look up upon her entrance. Rylan was very quiet, an unusual thing for him. Abby brought the stroller to a stop and snuck up behind Jewel.

"Hi, Abby," Jewel said without turning around. _Darn, she's getting as good as me at this,_ the Goth thought briefly.

"Hey," Abby replied casually, acting as if she hadn't attempted to scare Jewel at all. "What are you working on over there?"

"It's my wedding anniversary, so I am trying to make something for Adien while he is away. Could you go distract him for me? I'll watch Rylan for you."

"Okay! See you later!" Abby bounded out of the lab, eager to have something to do.

**Line break**

"...so I told her the truth, and you know what happened. Next. Needless to say, Michelle and I have finally gotten married and nothing like this is likely to happen again," Palmer concluded, leaning back in the chair.

"Very good," Ducky approved. "I told you everything would work out."

"And oh boy, does it," McGee said, walking in. "I'll give you three guesses as to who paid me a visit today."

"Ziva," Jimmy blurted.

"Close," Tim said. "I'm thinking a little closer to home, though." The smile that wouldn't leave his face gave it away.

"Tell our dear Abigail that I wish to see how her child is doing," Ducky said with a small smile.

"I'm sure she'll be down here soon anyway. Rylan's still a little small, but he's growing. I don't think there's anything to worry about. He's just a happy, healthy, little tyke. And Abby's doing amazing. You can't even see the baby weight on her. I've got the two most important people in my life here with me. What more could I ask for?"

"It is a nice change to see things going well around here," Ducky said in agreement. He was glad to see the agent in such a good mood.

"Yeah. I better get going. Cold cases, you know."

"Honestly, I do not know what you are talking about," Adien said, his voice floating into the room before he even entered it.

"How can you not have heard of Metallica?" Abby asked increduously. "They have two platinum albums and have been sold out all over the country a dozen times over."

"You telling me this isn't going to make me like Goth music anymore than five minutes ago," Adien said as he came in. Abby was right behind him. Tim and Ducky shared a glance of amusement. Palmer was, well...he was Palmer.

"I'd be offended, but I'm in too good of a mood for that," Abby was saying.

"Are you so sure?" Adien asked. Abby flinched, remembering those weeks of pain and uncertainty. She switched from overexaggerated cheerfulness to a vague haunted look in less than a second.

"That was a rather low blow coming from you," she murmured. "I don't know if I'm going to forgive you for that."

"Oh, come on!" Adien rolled his eyes. McGee wasn't sure whether Abby was acting or not. She turned her back to Adien and quickly signed something to her husband. He just barely caught a glimpse of what she was trying to say.

"Just...don't. You're being rather insensitive right now."

"Overreact much?" Abby's eyes widened.

"I'm leaving now," she declared suddenly, quickly walking out of the lab. McGee remembered what she had signed him, and stopped Adien before he could leave.

"Hey, she'll be fine in a minute. This happens sometimes...why don't you stay for awhile?" That convinved him, and he ventured further into autopsy.

"What's going on?" Jimmy asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," Ducky said. McGee whispered something in Jimmy's ear, and his face lit up with a grin. He went to tell the ME what McGee had just said. This went unnoticed by Adien.

"Anyone want to tell me why Abby is suddenly so moody?"

"I honestly don't have a clue," Ducky replied. "I haven't heard from her in quite some time. Perhaps she is having a bad day." McGee pretended to verbally agree, although he knew otherwise. Even Palmer was aware of it, although he wasn't up until McGee's explanation.

"Ah, well, I'll go after her later. Jewel will have my head if I don't get her some coffee soon."

"You sure you don't want to stay a little longer?" Jimmy asked hopefully.

"Nope, sorry, I've got to get going. Jewel gets pretty impatient."

**Line break**

_Hmm, wonder if Rylan needs to be fed again_, Abby mused as she wandered around NCIS in search of something to do. _Well, I brought some formula just in case. He'll be fine a little longer without me. I need a break anyway. Think I'll go outside for a little walk. The mission was a success, so I have nothing to do for some time now._ Then she had it again. That feeling. Once again, she had to reassure herself that nobody missed Hades, that nobody would be on the prowl to avenge his death any way possible. It took a little longer to convince herself, but it was managable. But Gibbs had drilled into her head that gut feelings shouldn't be ignored, no matter what logic said. So she decided to give Steve a call. One ring, two rings...then three and four, followed by voicemail. She tried again with the same results. Was there a connection? Abby didn't dare try calling him a third time. Sure, Steve remembered Hades, but they had grown up friends. Yet he didn't have an attatchment to the guy from what she had heard. But _that feeling_ was so hard to ignore. Abby stiffened. Someone was following her. She was all alone oustide, her phone was in Rylan's stroller, and she was being stalked. Not. Good. A brief memory of Hades's hands on her was all it took for her to launch herself into action. She spun around and searched in the immediate area. Nobody was there. But she couldn't fight the feeling that she was being watched by somebody, somewhere nearby.

"Abs."

"Ah! Gibbs! Give me a heart attack, why don't you? Wait, what are you doing out here?"

"Going to get coffee. You?" Abby shrugged. Her heartrate had slowed enough for her not to seem panicky.

"Want to come with me?"

"No thanks. I don't want to get tempted." She smiled at him. Gibbs left, headed straight for the car lot. The second he was gone, Abby felt uneasy again. That person was still here...she narrowed her eyes, scanning the bushes and cars nearby. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. She smiled in satisfaction. Perhaps it was nothing. She turned and started to walk back toward the building, black heels clicking against the concrete. Just then, something hard slammed against her head, and she went tumbling downward. Nobody was here to notice someone dragging the unconscious woman into a nondescript vehicle and drive away.

**AN: I'm pretty evil, arent' I? Perhaps Abby was wrong after all. *gasp* What a concept. I can hardly take it.**


	44. Chapter 44

**AN: Random depressed thoughts right now...why can't anyone just love me for who I am, instead of constantly pointing out my flaws? :(**

**Abby: Now YOU'RE depressing ME...**

**Me: Shut up, I'm not in the mood!**

**Abby: Aw I was just kidding. Kind of. Seriously though, what has you all tied up in a knot now?**

**Me: ...I don't own NCIS...let's get started on the next chapter...**

**Abby: Okay now I know SOMETHING is wrong. You aren't usually like this.**

**Me: Nobody needs to hear me gripe and complain about my life, which sucks a lot of the time, by the way.**

**Abby: But if you write the chapter in this kind of mood, you'll probably go off and kill me and leave all your readers feeling depressed. Like we need MORE of that. So just start talking. I'll listen.**

**Me: At least someone cares. Seriously. All I hear from my family is "you're ugly, you can't do anything right, oh you forgot to do this...could you do this for me! OH I am mad because you forgot one freakin' thing. Never MIND the other stuff, it's only that one thing that matters."**

**Abby: There. Feel better?**

**Me: Kinda, yeah. Plus this Rainy Mood makes me feel better too so you can't take all the credit.**

**Abby: Off to write a happy ending?**

**Me: Who said this was an ending?**

**Abby: Tony...**

**Me: Since when have you listened to Tony?**

**Abby: ...Isn't there a chapter to get typed?**

**Me: Nuh uh. We are addressing this now. Why would he tell you this is the last chapter? Has he even been following along?**

**Abby: Not since you kicked him out. Gibbs of course knows and is happy for doing us all a favor.**

**Gibbs: *glares***

**Abby: Maybe he didn't say it in so many words.**

**Ziva: Of course. Why would he? Ow!**

**Me: Someone has been around Tony too much.**

**Abby: So are we all good now?**

**Me: If my confidence isn't totally shot, yup. And if the FREAKING INTERNET WOULD WORK-*recieves first headslap from Gibbs* Oh now it's cooperating again. Thanks, Gibbs.**

**Abby: I doubt he's THAT magical but I'll go with it...**

**Ziva: Oh can we just get on with this already?**

**Me: Yup. Whoops I almost typed in chat speak. Aren't I the idiot?**

**Tony: *sneaks back in* Much agreed there.**

**Me: GIBBS!**

_My God, my tourniquet  
>Return to me salvation<br>My God, my tourniquet  
>Return to me salvation<em>

_- Tourniquet, Evanescence_

Abby woke up with her head throbbing and not knowing where she was. Well, what did she expect, anyway? Her old self would instantly spring into action on an escape plan. But this Abby had been through torture, physical, mental, and sexual. _This_ Abby did not forget such things so easily. So, instead of calmly assessing the situation, she felt her heartrate increase as the darkness get any lighter and nothing changed for the next space of time. Panic attack. Now that she had worked herself up she couldn't stop the thoughts that were racing in her head. Not. Again. Not. Again. No. Never again. Then, suddenly, there was a small red light on her face.

"Smile for the camera." Why did that voice sound so familiar? "I want them to know exactly what I'm doing." It wasn't Hades. He was dead. She had seen the body, watched the burial happen right before her eyes. It wasn't Mikel Mawher. It wasn't Ari. Who was it? Who here wanted to see her hurt and a shell of her former self again? She couldn't come up with a single name that made sense.

**Line break**

"How'd Adien like his little present?"

"He reacted accordingly. A homemade necklace with the letters of my name is a whole lot cheaper, but somehow ended up looking better on him than I thought it would."

"So, good then?" Tony asked with a smirk. "Oh, by the way, I took Daniela over to therapy for you. She should be done in about an hour or so."

"Okay." Rylan started fussing in his stroller. Jewel sighed and went to go feed him.

"Where's Abby?"

"I don't know. I asked her to stall Adien for me, and she hasn't been back since. I don't have much experience with infants except for Daniela...but I had her so long ago."

"Stay here. I'll go find Abby for you." When he entered the bullpen, he found McGee in a state of shock, staring at the computer screen before him.

"What's up, Probie? You win the lottery or something?" When McGee didn't respond, Tony started to get a little worried. "It's okay if you didn't...I mean, after watching _Lost_ I'm not sure if I ever want to be a huge lottery winner ever again." The agent continued gaping at the screen like what he was seeing was an absolute nightmare.

"Close your mouth, McGee," Gibbs ordered, striding over to give him a headslap. But something stopped him.

"Trace the video feed."

"Video feed?" Tony went over to look at the computer screen. What he saw was something he'd never forget.

"Abby?" She was gagged and bound in some room Tony couldn't make the details of, but it vaguely reminded him of when Hades had kidnapped her. A familiar person walked into view before he could fully bring his thoughts together.

"Hello, I'm sure you remember me," Steve said. _Oh boy do we_, Tony thought. "I don't like it when people hurt my friends, or kill them for that matter. Hendrick was my best friend, despite all his problems. He just wanted someone who could at least understand him a little. And he gets killed for it? I don't think so. I don't think that's right. It doesn't matter what crimes he commited, he probably lost all sanity trying to make sense of the reason why people kept shoving him down when all he wanted was to be loved. Don't bother tracing this, because you won't find me. I'm here to make a little deal with you, NCIS. Give me whoever killed Hendrick, and I'll let Abby go unharmed. You have one hour to find the address to the hostage place and make your decision. After that...well, let's just say you'll think Hades went easy on Abby compared to what I've got in mind." The video feed disconnected. There was nothing but silence from all three agents.

"Just when we thought it was over..." Tony muttered. "I'm gonna kill him for even thinking laying his hands on Abby. She's already been through hell. Twice. She doesn't need more of this."

"Signal's being bounced around, boss," McGee said, interrupting Tony from his rant. "I'll see if I can try to pinpoint it to one location."

"Get on it, then," Gibbs said. "Tony, need you to tell everyone what's going on, and I mean everyone. We need all the help we can get if McGee can't find where they are."

"I'll alert Director Vance first then," Tony yelled back, already halfway up the stairs. Cool, calm and collected. That was how they all acted. Professional. It wouldn't do for any one of them to suddenly get upset while on the job. Not when they had work to accomplish and a life to save. But Steve wasn't planning on killing Abby. That was the worst part. Oh, no. He was planning on making her wish she was dead. That was worse than any death sentence that ever existed on this planet.

**Line break**

The gag was ripped out of her mouth, and Abby wanted to throw up from the awful taste it left behind. Instead, she focused on Steve's pacing form. A candle had been lit. Despite his words, Abby believed that he'd be more merciful. He was no psychotic rapist. He was just mourning the death of a friend. She needed to get him to open up. The panic attack had long since faded, but the fear remained. Yes, she was afraid, but not of him. She could talk to him.

"Steve," Abby said quietly. "You don't really need to do this."

"What are you talking about? Of course I do!" He continued pacing, becoming more anxious and unsettled by the second. His eyes were crazed and dark rings were visible even in this low lighting.

"But is this really what you want? Do you want to see me broken before your feet, begging to be killed, only to not have my wishes granted? Do you want to see blood running down my legs, bruises covering my skin, and pain in my eyes? Do you want that, or do you want to move on in peace?" Steve shook his head, starting to become confused.

"Shut up, just shut up," he muttered, but Abby was right. Now he didn't know what to think. "Don't make me hurt you."

"I know you don't want to hurt me," Abby continued. "In this moment, you may, but if you do...seeing me soaked in blood is something you'll regret." How she managed to stay so calm was beyond her, but this was working out so far, so it seemed pointless to start an internal argument for no reason.

"Stop, just stop, before I'm forced to do something you won't like."

"I've already been through the worst and back. It's you I'm worried about."

**Line break**

"Got anything yet?"

"Nope." The past fifteen minutes had been going on like this.

"I'm calling Ziva."

"Okay. You do that."

"You're being a jerk you know." Tim looked at him.

"I'm sorry, but my wife just got kidnapped! What do you want me to do about it, huh?"

"Not be a jerk?" Tony suggested.

"You're being a jackass..." Tim glared at his friend. "Have you no sympathy?"

"Have you no backbone, Probie?" Tony quipped. "Thought you'd have made something of yourself by now. You make your character so great in _Deep Six_: brave, strong, fearless, willing to stand up to Gibbs's character, my character, Ziva's character, anyone. But you, you're nothing. You are sitting here moping while I do all the work. That is so typical. So...McGee. So _Probie_. I should've known not to expect anything more from you."

"Stop right there," McGee said. Tony fought a smile. This was it. His technique was working. "I don't care how many McNicknames you give me from now till the end of time, but don't tell me I'm worthless. That's just...no. I think I'm pretty brave, just not all the time. And bravery isn't about being fearless. It's about being scared as hell, but going out and doing something anyway. Like, now? I'm scared you just might end our friendship here and now. But do I care? No. At least you understand now that I'm not the little probie sucking up to his boss every five minutes and avoiding eye contact with everyone anymore. Things have changed since then."

"Nice," Tony approved. "But what does this mean?"

"It means...I'm going out to find Abby no matter what anyone says. I'm following my gut."

"Congrats, young grasshopper. You graduated Probie school."

"Huh?"

"I didn't mean a single word of that. I was just testing you. And you passed. You are capable of taking the lead. Your case, your lead. Gibbs told me it was a rule."

**Line break**

Abby had long since lost feeling in anything beyond her wrists and ankles. Steve continued to restlessly pace back and forth, muttering suggestions of torture to himself, but deciding each one wasn't good enough. This had been going on for half an hour.

"What is the worst that could happen to you? Rape. Torture. Malnutrition. Surely you've experienced it all before. But...maybe the worst thing is watching someone you love being tortured, and not being able to do a thing about it." Abby struggled to loosen her bonds, if only a little bit. Any sort of relief from the throbbing sensation above the numbness would have been bearable. _I hope Timmy and Rylan are doing okay._

**Line break**

"Anything?" Tony asked in a very unenthusiastic tone. McGee shook his head. Over an hour had passed since the last time either one of them had spoken. Things were not going well. But, in that moment, McGee suddenly leaned forward.

"Hold on...I think I've got an idea." He started typing. "I can isolate it here, because nothing's there. But, when I try to get through here, something responds. Watch, Tony." Thank God. Some progress. But was it enough?

**Line break**

"Okay, I've got it." Steve started undoing the ropes. "It's time we knew your body's limits. True insanity is what it takes. Having you broken...again will bring Hendrick's killer straight to me, I'm sure of it."

The ropes fell to the floor and Abby was yanked to her feet. She jerked, fully awake now. In her boredom she had started to fall asleep, having nothing else to do. There wasn't really an escape, anyway. Maybe she deserved this. Obviously she must, because rescue hadn't come yet. _Am I seriously going to start thinking like this again? Did I not learn my lesson the first time?_ Her thoughts echoed in a strange fashion, reminding her that she was all alone in this suffering. She was carried, bridal style, into a larger room nearby. Almost instantly she was strapped down with Velcro onto a cold metal table that vaguely reminded her of autopsy at NCIS.

"Now, what should we do first? Cold? Hot? Extreme weather? Starvation? Hmm. So many choices." Abby bit her lip, trying not to cry out in distress. She was wrong. It _did_ matter what happened to her.

"Cold it is, then. I'll be back in about...oh, six hours, when the tempurature is well below freezing and you're without a sweater, suffering from hypothermia." Steve pressed a button off to the side and walked out of the large labratory-style room. The heavy metal door slammed shut. Abby winced at the noise. Already she felt a little chill as, ever so slowly, the room grew cooler. It was only going to get worse from there.

**Line break- shall I end? Hmm...decisions, decisions...ah well I've got nothing better to do than entertain you guys, so let's continue, hmm?**

"What do ya got, McGee?" Gibbs asked, returning from a coffee run. Things had been realitively quiet in the squad room. On any normal day he'd be glad of this. But this was no normal day. Not anymore.

"Let's see...there's an abandoned scientific research lab on torture techniques in Georgetown. 1145 Friller's Lane off of US 32." Gibbs cursed. Why was it that everything happened in that town?

"McGee, Dinozzo, go," Gibbs said at last once he was a little calmer. "I want you back here with Abby, whether she's dead or alive. And I want Steve dead and riddled with bullets on Ducky's autopsy table."

"You got it," Tony promised.

**Line break**

Abby sneezed. It was getting pretty cold, but not a huge deal. But if this kept up, she was going to get sick. Her internal clock didn't seem to be working after all these months of peace and happiness. _It's getting colder...when does it ever end?_ She had to get out of this Velcro and get warm. Abby struggled against her bonds. The effort was worthless. She was only tiring herself out. She couldn't afford that. So, she tried slipping her thin wrists out. With a little effort, she was able to manage it.

"Finally," she whispered, rubbing her hands along her arms and pacing around the freezing room. But it didn't make her any less trapped than before. The tempurature continued to drop. A thermometer displayed itself on the far wall. Fifty degrees. Still not too terrible. She could survive that. It wasn't even as cold as a refigerator yet. Possibly as cold as an intense fall day in DC. But that was about it. Abby sneezed again, despite herself. This time the sneeze was followed by mild shivers.

She watched the red line sink lower and lower, all the way down to forty degrees. Her hands were turning blue. _Still...not...bad. Need to stay...strong! Got to be strong._ Forty, thirty-eight, thirty-six...she started rubbing her hands together for friction, but found that to not be helpful at all. The shivers were constant now. Her hands were numb, and so were her feet. Wait a second. Was it..._snowing?_ Abby glanced up above her to confrim this hallucination.

"Snow," she murmured. Something she didn't see very often. How was there snow? Seriously. She was indoors. This wasn't logical. From a distance, she thought that she could hear voices shouting. It still grew colder and colder, and still colder. There was a series of gunshots, but they sounded so far away. More voices, closer, then further away. Then they came closer again.

Abby struggled to make herself heard but she just felt so cold and tired. Her limbs felt heavy, as if they had been overused. But she couldn't stop moving. Stillness meant death in the cold. So, Abby continued pacing, despite the fact her prison was ankle deep with snow. How she was able to determine such a thing was probably luck. How she was able to still stay on her feet that were already so numb was a miracle.

"On three!" Tony shouted, his voice muffled by the thickness of the door. There was a loud bang. "I said on three, Probie!"

"Sorry, but I don't think there is much time."

"One. Two. Three!" There was another bang, much louder this time. Everything sounded faded and far away. Abby struggled to focus on the voices that would soon be her salvation. She felt so tired. Maybe...if she just closed her eyes...everything would be okay. She fought off the fatigue as best as she could.

"Again!" Bang. Bang. Something fell to the floor. Everything sli out from under her. Coldness all around. Her eyes slid shut. This was it. Time to let go. The freezing feeling was beginning to numb already.

"...weather room..."

"Get her warm again. I've got a pulse." Why? What was happening? Was this even real? Did it even matter? Abby felt herself falling away. It was like cloth had been stuffed in her ears. The voices were the only tangible things in her...consciousness. But now she was losing even that, leaving behind nothing, nothing, nothing...that just made the falling sensation all the more intense and terrifying, because there just didn't ever seem to be an end. The last thing she was aware of before losing herself completely was a slight warmth, very faint, but definitely there.

_Why...where am I going? Will I come back? Will there even be a back to come to?_


	45. Chapter 45

Abby gasped. She felt like she had just been drenched in ice water and left to freeze in an arctic tundra. She was frozen to the core. Such insane coldness. Somehow, sha managed to pry her eyes open and lift her numb self off the surface below her, just enough to be sitting up and look around a little. White, white, and more white. It was practically blinding. A few seconds later, a spinning sensation took over, and Abby let herself fall back onto the bed with a small, nearly inaudible thump. Black dots swam in her vision. The combination of the dizziness and intense shivering from cold made it almost impossible to breathe. She concentrated on shallow breaths, then tried to sit up much more slowly this time once she was sure the dizzy spell had passed. After her collapse in the snow, she recalled nothing whatsoever. She became aware of beeping machines and an IV drip in her arm. She was in the hospital due to hypothermia.

But how long had she been here? Hours, days even? There was no way to tell. A date was circled on the calendar nearby for the upcoming Saturday. That was of no help of telling her the day's date. _Let's see, last thing I remember was a day exactly six months after Hades's death. He was gunned down sometime in September, and it's March now. Early March, to be exact. Hades had died on the...was it the sixth? Or the seventh? Wait a second. The sixth was the week before any of that happened. That can't be right. So, it had to have been the tenth. The Saturday circled is the thirteenth of March. I'm guessing that at least several hours had passed since I was rescued. But does that make it late at night tonight, or early of the next day?_ Abby was snapped out of her thoughts when there was a small knock on the already open door of her room. She looked up to see Ziva standing in the doorway. For a moment, there was nothing but silence as Ziva took in the sight of an already awake Abby innocently sitting there swarmed by confusion, feverish chills, and the occasional crippling dizziness that left her breathless.

"You are awake at last, I see," Ziva said after a silence. "You have been out of it for almost eight hours. Almost everyone else had already gone home. Gibbs and I are the only ones who have decided to remain. Tony is watching my children. It was a close call for you. The doctor said you were lucky to have not gotten frostbite, but you did catch a fever from exposure, so you are being kept overnight for observation. We have all been very worried about you, Abby. It is a miracle to see you so well off, from everything I've heard about that weather room, things could have been so much worse."

"What...things?" Abby asked cautiously. _'Let's just say Hades would have gone easy on you.'_

"I'd rather not get into detail at the moment. I shall tell you when you are in a better place, physically I mean. Surely, you must still have a temperature." Abby decided it would do no good to lie, so she nodded.

"Was Steve captured?" She sadly shook her head in response.

"Unfortunately, despite Tony's best efforts, it seems he could not get lucky twice. He did manage to lodge a tracer into the bullet would, though, so he shall be easy to keep an eye on from now on."

"Why does this always happen to me?" Abby wailed. "I just want some peace from everything! Just once!"

"I do not know," Ziva said quietly. "I really do not know. I shall be back in the morning with the others. They will have gotten word of your recovery by then. You are being discarged at two-thirty tomorrow afternoon." With that, the ex-Mossad agent left the room. Abby was all alone. She had just been rescued from yet another hostage situation and she was left alone. She shivered and slumped further down against the pillows. Maybe when she woke up this will all have been a dream...

Abby wandered through a forest of some kind. It was cold here. Icicles clung to the scraggly branches that reached out and threatened to steal her away from...wherever this place was. She shuddered, wishing she had brought a sweater of some kind. Now was not the time to be distracted. She had to keep moving. Stillness was absolute death to her body. Swallowing her fears, she continued onward. This was not her choice, but someone else's. Fate had her in a choke hold that made it hard to breathe. A swaying sensation brought her to a sudden stop. Vertigo. She was falling and falling and falling, never stopping. Abby clutched at the nearest frozen white birch for support. Finally she found some sense of stability. Unfortunately, due to all these distractions, she was growing colder. She had to get out, and soon. Her fingers were beginning to turn blue. Snow was beginning to fall.

Abby kept walking, trying to keep the blood flowing all the way down to her almost completely numb feet. Eveything looked the same no matter where she went. Why was she here, anyway? Was she looking for something? A way out, yes, but why did she come here in the first place? She did not know. All she knew was that she did not belong here at all. Walking soon turned to stumbling as the storm made the forest grow darker and more sinister. Abby blindly moved forward, searching, endlessly searching. The snow fell faster, and was over a foot deep now. If she didn't escape soon, she'd be buried in white flakes of death. A whiteout instead of a blackout. But the forest was insistent on being her enemy rather than her friend, and the snow continued to fall all around her. Where was the way out? The whole world surely wasn't forest. Her head snapped back as another vertogo attack washed over her.

Abby frantically scrabbled at the frozen world at her disposal, but fell face first into the snow, which still was not stopping. The darkness here was almost absolute, leaving her vision very limited. She staggered to her feet, searching for any sign of a path or anything similar. She was waist deep in snow, and colder than ever. She shivered so violently that once her lip had been bitten down on too hard. Blood ran down her mouth and chin, shockingly warm to contrast all the coldness. It was the first sense of warmth she had felt the whole time. And probably the last. The snow fell and fell. Abby gave up and just tried to keep herself warm as long as possible, which probably wouldn't be very long anyway. It was up to her chin. She could taste the flakes slowly melting on her bloody lips. The snow swallowed her whole, a silent greedy monster of the frozen world belonging to imaginary unnecessary terrors.

Abby's eyes flew open. Her chest was heaving. She couldn't seem to fully snap out of the dream, for the coldness hadn't completely left her. She launched out of the bed and was violently sick into the biohazard waste basket. A deep voice and strong hands were there to comfort her. Finally, she was able to come to her senses. Instantly, dizziness made its home in her head, and she collapsed into Gibbs's arms on the spot, but did not lose consciousness.

"Abs, what's wrong?" Abby shuddered and curled further into him. Gibbs was warm and the smell of sawdust felt safe. She didn't want him to leave her alone in case the forest came back to claim her life a second time. "Sh, it's okay...just get back into bed. You need to sleep." She nodded weakly, her eyes already sliding shut.

"Gibbs..." The silver haired man laid her back down under the covers and kissed her forehead. No matter what happened, that part of their relationship would never change. Gibbs would always see Abby as his daughter. _Sweet dreams, Abby, _he thought to himself as he left the room. Ziva looked up, anxiety obvious in her face.

"You need to get on home too. Your kids need you."

"I know. I'll leave in a few minutes." She was quiet once more, staring down at her lap, deep in thought. "Did she have a nightmare?" Gibbs nodded and downed the last of his coffee. Ziva handed him another one the instant the empty cup was in the closest trash can.

"Close call, huh?" Gibbs mused.

"Yes," Ziva agreed. "Of all the things to happen to dear Abby...she is a precious thing."

"Took the words right out of my mouth, Ziver."

"Well, you know _our_ connection, Agent Gibbs." She gave him a significant glance. For a moment, it was the basement scene all over again. For a moment, it was her standing before him at her most vulnerable time, the time he had lost his memories. And then, as soon as the images had flashed before his eyes, they were gone, to return to that memory bank that was as flawless as ever.

"McGee has been calling me every five minutes about Abby. What shall I tell him?"

"The truth. Rule four doesn't apply here." Gibbs remembered Jenny throwing his own words back in his face.

"That is true," Ziva agreed dryly. "All right. I shall send him a text message, then. I will see you in the morning, Gibbs."

"Tomorrow's Saturday. No weekend duty, remember?"

"And I will be here at Bethesda tomorrow, you know that."

"Don't your kids have their six month shots or something?"

"Oh, yes. I nearly forgot. Thank you for reminding me. I will come by Abby's place tomorrow, yes? Perhaps we should celebrate."

"Not until Steve is dead."

"You have a point there. I'll go now. Good night."

**Line break**

"What is up with Jane lately?" McGee asked.

"She's been hitting all her milestones a little later than the other girls...including teething." Tony winced as the youngest triplet continued to shriek at the top of her lungs. "Could you do me a favor and grab her teething ring? It's sitting right by your phone." McGee obliged, and within a few minutes Jane was a little calmer with some sort of relief from the pain of teething.

"Oh hey, Ziva sent me a text," McGee said in surprise. "She said Abby woke up, but had a nightmare and Gibbs calmed her down...she's asleep again. I'm giving her a call to see if the nurses have anymore news."

"Gotcha...come on, Jane. Taliah and Maria went to sleep. Why won't you, you little rebel?" Tony sighed and went to go put Jane down to bed.

**Line break**

Abby opened her eyes and found herself in a warped, frozen world that made absolutely no sense. It was so much worse than that forest. At least there, she could stop the free falling sensation. But here, nothing solid was there for her to grab onto as she sprialed on down into frozen nothingness. There was a loud splash, and then she was underwater. Abby kicked up toward the surface, but her legs didn't seem to be working properly. She paddled with her arms and made little progress. Her lungs screamed for air. The water was like fire, although it was freezing cold. She continued kicking and thrashing until finally she could draw a breath of icy air into her oxygen-starved lungs. She gasped and panted for several minutes, bobbing up and down in water that was well below freezing. Land was nowhere in sight. To make things worse, a monsterous, sneaky wave washed over her and sent her plunging beneath the surface a second time. Caught off gaurd, Abby didn't get the chance to take another breath. Within seconds, hope for any survival seemed a thing of the past as she continued to sink downward, away from the dim sunlight reaching out to her. She choked, tears mixing in with the water as she slipped into her watery grave, never to return.

That was around the time she woke up, sobbing and gasping from the intensity of the nightmare. Only an hour had passed from the last time she had fallen asleep. There was no way she'd get anymore rest tonight with these dreams of frozen, suffocating fear constantly robbing her of peace. Abby pulled the covers up to her chin, feeling more tears run down her cheeks. If this continued, she would surely lose her mind.


	46. Chapter 46

**AN: I AM SO SORRY! My internet was having problems, thus the major delays. STUPID Verizon wasn't cooperating with me or my family at all. But I'm back now! Yay! Celebration! Hooray! No? Okay...fine. On with the story, then. To make up for the long wait(well, it was a long time for me, anyway) I shall make this chapter mega-giant-extra-huge-awesomely enormous! Wow that just made absolutely no sense, but you get the idea. This takes up a honking TWELVE PAGES in my document. You know what that is? You know? It's a record. I'm so happy and surprised I was able to make it this long.**

**Abby: Just stop rambling...**

**Me: This is coming from you, of all people? That is a little hyocritical.**

**Abby: What about the disclaimer?**

**Me: Well can you let me finish talking to them first? I'll get to that in a second.**

**Abby: Fine! *sulks in a corner***

**AN(cont): Okay, before I was RUDELY INTERRUPTED I just wanted to say that I finally watched the season premire of NCIS! SO EXCITING AND INTENSE! I was literally bouncing up and down with excitement as the episode started. I was at my mom's boyfriend's house. He was nice enough to record it for me. Although, his new dog is rather annoying. It bit me!**

**Abby: Hey! Disclaimer! People only have so much of an attention span!**

**Me: OH. Right. Tony, take it away.**

**Disclaimer: Me + Fanasty World = Owning NCIS**

The only thing worse than going through suffering was having to deal with it alone. Abby scarecly spoke a word to anyone for several days. On the following Wednesday, she found herself in autopsy, Rylan in tow. The innocent infant was oblivius to his mother's mood, shrieking and laughing as Palmer played a game with him.

"Abigail," Ducky said softly. She barely looked up to acknowledge that she had heard him at all. Her face looked haunted and haggard with a lack of proper rest. Dark rings were present under her eyes, emphasizing the paleness of her skin. "Something has you troubled. What is it?" Empty emerald eyes glassily stared at him in response. Ducky could see healing bruises lined her wrists where the ropes had dug into her skin. She was thin, slowly wasting away, being eaten up by some internal demon that haunted her dreams.

"Dear girl, please talk to me," Ducky said, his voice nearly taking a desperate tone. He hated to see her like this. Not after the last time. Actually, he hoped that was the last time but it seemed some people just wouldn't leave well enough alone.

"There is nothing to tell," Abby replied simply. "I don't see what your problem with me is. I survived, didn't I? I don't think anymore questions should be asked on the matter. It's all over and done with."

"Surely it is not," Ducky disagreed. "Steve is still on the prowl."

"Steve is not of my concern," Abby said dismissively. "Sometimes, there are worse things out there. Remember that for when you think about the possible things in life, about...endings of any sort." She walked out without a second glance, leaving Ducky in total confusion about Abby's recent behavior. The instant she was out of sight, she slumped against the wall in a faint.

**Line break**

"There was something we didn't catch earlier about that...machine we saw," Tim said. "I did some further research. It looks like it goes beyond just weather."

"Go on," Ziva said. It was her first day back, and already she had to work on a case. If it didn't involve her friend, she'd be excited. Tony was away dropping off the kids at daycare for the first time. The six month old triplets were getting to be a handful for both parents, so it was a good thing Ziva had decided to make her return today.

"It inserts...dreams, apparently, and this is where things get weird. The dreams literally make the dreamer ill beyond reason, and unless the effect isn't reversed the victim is likely to lose their minds or worse. Death."

"What does this mean for Abby?" Ziva asked quietly.

"It means we better find a way out of this fast...or we'll lose her." For a second Ziva was able to see what Tim was actually feeling. He had gotten better at hiding his feelings lately. The pre-Somalia Ziva would have smiled smugly at something like this, but she now knew better that there were more important things to think about than just being an emotionless assassin. Ziva turned back to her computer and started searching for any possible solutions.

"I don't think we'll find anything here," McGee interrupted. "If we're going to get any answers, we'll have to go back to that machine and basically take the thing apart for clues."

"Good idea," the Israeli agent agreed, getting to her feet. "Leave a note for Gibbs so that-"

"So that what?" the boss interrupted, appearing on the catwalk above everyone.

"How does he do that?" McGee whispered. Ziva shrugged and headed for the elevator, motioning for McGee to follow her. He did so without argument.

"So, are you and Tony going to get married sometime soon?"

"He and I were planning for the wedding to be this coming fall."

"I see. Well, if you two need any help with the planning, I'm always a phone call away."

**Line break**

Abby snapped out of unconsciousness, wondering what had caused her to pass out so spontaneously. There hadn't been tunnel vison or anything. The situation confused her. She staggered to her feet and shuffled off to her lab. Jewel, Adien, and Daniela were not there. They were currently on vacation in California with family. They had gotten everything cleared with Vance while Abby had still been in the hospital.

"Perhaps I just need a minute to relax," Abby said to herself. "All this worrying about my strange dreams has me stressed out." Yes, that was it. She needed a stress reliever. She started up a game of spider solitare and prepared for hours of casual enjoyment at the computer. Several games and four consumed cups of Caf-Pow! later, Ducky walked in, holding Rylan in his arms. He set the infant down in the carrier and strapped him in.

"Hey, Ducky," Abby said, feeling more like herself.

"I see you seem to be better of at the moment," the ME observed dryly. "I assume there is no need for me to be worried?"

"There never was." Ducky seriously doubted that, but he decided not to question her any further. Abby got to her feet and found she needed to clutch onto the table for support. It felt like her body was still rocking back and forth as if on a boat, but some small part of her was aware that this was not the actual case.

"Whoa..."

"What is it?"

"I'm...not sure." But all of the sudden she _was _sure, and the realization caused her eyes to widen in a haunted sort of way. "Oh God. No. Not that. There's no way." She stepped forward and felt as if she were falling. Ducky threw out his arms and just managed to catch her as she stumbled.

"Are you ill, Abigail?"

"I just feel a little off balance." _It's the terrible vertigo. It manifested itself into my reality now._ "I'm fine now." Abby sat back in the chair, afraid to try standing again with Ducky right there watching her every move.

**Line break**

"What do we have here?" Ziva asked as they reentered the building. Fourth floor, seven doors down, a turn, and three more doors down to find the weather room at the very end. McGee remembered the way very well.

"In here," the tech agent said. "This was where we found Abby, half buried in snow and almost frozen to death. Start messing with buttons. I'll take a look around to see if I can find anything out of the ordinary going on here."

"We cannot afford to make ourselves ill, McGee," Ziva warned him as she crossed over to the monstorous-sized machine.

"Relax, I'm pretty sure that is what happens from long term exposure. Abby had to have been in here at least four or five hours for her to get that cold. It's a slow acting process."

"What if that is not enough time to find a way to save Abby?" McGee's head snapped up. In that moment he realized that Abby wasn't important to just him, but everyone else, obviously. _Well, of course, you dummy! How can anyone not want to protect her? She's already been through so much._

"Save that for when it is too late. Now, let's get started."

**Line break- I think I'm catching a cold... -sneeze- man this sucks...probably shouldn't be putting this in a line break but oh well it is already permenantly on the internet**

It was still early, and things were moving pretty slow. Vance was getting annoyed with all these interruptions from SecNav. _I swear the guy enjoys giving me my own personal hell...doesn't he get a clue?_ He sighed and rubbed his temples. All he wanted to do was finish reading this report about Mrs. McGee's latest situation and find out if anything else had been discovered regarding the newest case.

Mrs. McGee. It was strange thinking of her like that. She was married. And yet he still referred to her by last name...when they have been working together for several years now. _I do apologize for being too formal when you deserve so much more than that._ He reached for his coffee and a bottle of Advil. It was going to be a long day, no matter what SecNav did or didn't do to get on his nerves.

"We have word of some action going on with the Mossad lately. Apparently, Eli David insists that his daughter re-enlist as soon as possible and end all ties with NCIS so that she can get an undercover op done and catch a long sought-after criminal of their country." Vance looked up at the Secratary of the Navy.

"I am uncertain if that will work out the way you wish, Secratary."

"I have Eli David here with me. You can speak with him yourself on the matter." SecNav walked off the screen and was instantly replaced by Ziva's father.

"Good afternoon, Director Vance," Eli said in the most civil voice he could manage. While Mossad got along with NCIS during Jenny's reign, these two men did not always see eye to eye on certain matters.

"It is morning here, but I return similiar greetings to you. What is this business of wanting Ziva back with Mossad?"

"There is a traitor in our country who has been hidden from us for the past decade. He makes bin Laden seem like a tame child with all the crimes he has been committing."

"Why is Ziva the only one who can catch him?"

"I believe she has the capabilities that I raised her to master. She can speak nine languages, is an expert knife thower, a chamion archer, which I think is a recent addition to her file? On top of that, she has a musical talent, plus an incredible investigator's skill that she had gotten no education for, I hear. All of this is in her file, as you very well know. But more than that, she is my only daughter. Surely you must know I deserve forgiveness for the whole Somalia incident." The man had a good argument, Vance reasoned. However, he knew exactly what Ziva's answer would be on the matter.

"I am sure you deserve forgiveness from now until the end of time," Vance replied. "However, the final answer does not come from me. It should come from Ziva herself. Why don't you try contacting her? Surely the two of you keep in touch?"

"Unfortunately, that is where you are wrong. Ziva wants nothing to do with me these days. I've long since given up trying to talk to her."

"There you have your resounding 'no' then." Vance disconnected the video feed, not caring if he pissed off SecNav, Mossad, or even Eli David. He had to think about his team at some point.

**Line break**

_What's wrong with me?_ Abby thought as she came to her senses again. This time she found herself in autopsy. Ducky had just finished performing a basic physical exam.

"I don't understand," the ME said. "Your blood sugar levels appear normal, if you are indeed a bit undernourished as of these past few days. And yet..." Jimmy had to hold her steady as yet another wave of vertogo attacked her upon standing up. "How long has this been happening?"

"Since last night. Before then, everything was fine, except for the nightmares." Finally, she was able to stand on her own. Jimmy stepped back a little to give her some space.

"Nightmares, huh?" the assistant mused. "What kind of nightmares?"

"I'm always alone, and somehow frozen things manage to attack me to death: snow, ocean, and recently, hail," Abby answered, looking down at her boots.

"This is rather unusual. Perhaps Timothy and Anthony know something about this new development. I shall give them both a call to see who answers."

"What if this gets worse?" Abby asked in a small voice. "I don't want to have to rely on somebody every time this happens."

"Just be careful," Ducky replied grimly. "That is all the advice I can give you until we find a cause for your symptoms." He walked out the door. Abby sighed, feeling tired but not wanting to close her eyes for fear of having another nightmare. She hardly slept more than a couple hours a night now. And even then, in small, restless snatches of a half doze that wasn't really sleeping. The second anything like that would happen, she'd instantly wake herself up before she could start dreaming. But she just wanted to close her eyes for a few minutes. No harm in that, right? She let her body slowly relax, muscle by muscle.

Absolute nothingness. That was the most crushing thing out there. She struggled to take a breath, but not very much air made it into her lungs. The air was stale and sour. It smelled of death. She reached up above herself and touched the lid of her coffin. How long had this thing been shut tight? She pressed on it, but it did not budge. At first she thought it was a prank and that Tony was probably leaning on top or something. _Very funny, Tony. Now let me out! I have to breathe! _She screamed it in her head and shouted it out loud. She banged on the lid and tried to scream. Her voice sounded cracked and choked from a lack of use. Nobody answered her. That was when she realized she was buried alive. Her own screams woke her up.

"Abby, Abby, calm down!" Palmer said. "You're fine!" She bit back another scream, snapping back to reality at last.

"What scared you so much?" he asked.

"It was just a dream," Abby murmured. She refused to go into detail. At least she had gotten a little rest in. Her body still cried out for a proper sleep, but she ignored it. Sleeping was so much worse than being awake.

**Line break**

"What does this do?" Ziva asked, pointing at a blue button with a snowflake on it. McGee poked his head from around the corner.

"No idea...what does it look like?"

"It is a blue button with a snowflake."

"Probably the one Steve used on Abby. Don't touch it. We need to find some sort of reversal of that one."

"Have you found anything?"

"No. In any other circumstance where this wouldn't be a danger to us, I'd say for us to try all of the buttons. Unless we had some sort of test subject who would be less suspectable to any sort of suffering, there doesn't seem to be a way for us to accomplish anything."

"Bring Gibbs over here, then," Ziva suggested.

"What? Are you insane?"

"Gibbs was born for survival. He is perfect for this."

"What makes you think he'll agree to such a thing?"

"Because he is Gibbs and he does not ask questions unless he deems it neccessary," Ziva answered, sounding like Abby for a second.

"You have a good point there. Get him over here, then." At that moment, McGee's phone rang.

"McGee. Oh hey, Ducky." There was a long silence as he listened to whatever Ducky had to say.

"No, Tony isn't here. Ziva is, though. There's a weather machine that is making Abby worse off than you probably thought. Not really anything you can do about it, sorry. She'll be in suffering, and we're the only ones that can prevent things from getting worse. I've got to go. We need Gibbs here as a guinea pig for what we're about to do. See you in a few hours." He hung up the phone and immediately began to dial another number.

"Boss, could you come by the science facility for a while? We need you for some things." He stepped back and accidently ran into a button. The door slammed shut and locked tight on the inside. Ziva tried to pry it open with no luck. "If you could come here as soon as possible that would be great. Thanks." He put up his phone.

"McGee, what button did you press?" Ziva looked up, wondering where that dripping sound was coming from.

"No idea. It probably didn't do anything. Let's finish up our basic investigating before Gibbs gets here." Ziva had a feeling that something was about to happen. At that moment, the dripping started to grow more intense. There was a puddle in the middle of the large room. Tim glanced at the puddle, then back up at the ceiling. Water was dripping down from a high raised ceiling, but there appeared to be no leak. Ziva tried opening the door again with no results.

"Well," Tim said, observing the slowly growing puddle. "This is a problem."

"A huge understatement," Ziva agreed.

"Hopefully, Gibbs will be here soon." Unfortunately, McGee had forgotten that he had reached the boss's voicemail when he had made the call.

"There is no need to panic yet." Though the puddle was now larger, most of the floor was still dry. "We can still find a way out. Look around for another exit." After fifteen minutes of searching, it was clear that the locked door was their only escape.

"You can pick locks, right?"

"I do not have anything that could properly manuver the tumblers."

"Oh," McGee mumbled, realizing the gravity of their situation now. He kicked at the water and sat down in a chair.

"We will get out," Ziva said firmly.

**Line break**

Gibbs returned to NCIS after spending some time in his basement. Perhaps McGee and Ziva have made a discovery about the machine they found in the room Abby was being held in. But when he walked in, only Tony was there, talking to Abby and Ducky.

"Where are David and Dinozzo?"

"No idea," Tony replied. "I just got here fifteen minutes ago. Got caught up in traffic on my way back."

"I've been here the whole time," Abby said. Ducky echoed her reply and requested for Tony to finish his story.

"Nobody has heard from them?"

"Oh," Ducky said. "I do remember Timothy calling me about some weather machine. He said he was going to call you over there. Has he done so yet?"

"What are you talking about?" Gibbs demanded.

Oh, dear. You may want to check your voicemail, Jethro."

**Line break**

"How are you so sure we aren't going to die down here?" McGee asked increduously. The water was already up to their waists. Ziva was still calm, but Tim was near the point most people would be if it was already too late.

"First of all, we aren't in any danger of dying yet, and secondly, Gibbs should be here soon."

"About that...I never got a hold of him. I reached his voicemail." That only happened if he was working on his boat. The water was cold, but not freezing. It was bearable. But it was getting higher. More time passed. Ziva could feel water beginning to soak into her shirt. Though her stature was shorter than McGee's, she happened to be wearing shoes that gave her a little height.

"There is still hope," Ziva murmured. "He may actually learn how to check voicemail."

"Come on. This is Gibbs we're talking about." They were silent for some time as water continued to splash down from above. The drips had altered to a constant stream, as if a faucet had been turned on.

"Hey, since we so aren't going to die yet, I guess one last phone call isn't necessary."

"I suppose not," Ziva said, confused by his words.

**Line break**

"Gibbs, I need you up here to get rid of Eli for me," Vance said as Gibbs headed for the elevator. Gibbs sighed internally. Of all times to get interrupted...

"Fine," the silver haired man growled, mounting the steps. The elevator slid open, unaware that its soon to be passenger was already leaving the area. _McGee and Ziva can wait. Not like its an emergency anyway._

**Line break**

"Looks like we're just going to have to accept the fact that we aren't getting out of here," McGee said. The water was up to their chins now.

"Do _not_ say that!" Ziva argued. "There is always a way out! We always find some sort of way to escape, or something."

"Well, what if that wasn't the case here? The door is locked from the inside. No one knows where we are, and Gibbs isn't coming. We are going to die."

"What if I said that I refuse to give up on living?" Ziva asked in a low voice. "You may be easily suspectible to such a thing, but I am not, because I am different from you."

"Well, if your phone hasn't already been ruined by the water in here, maybe we can make one last phone call."

"What about the machine? There has got to be a solution for Abby down there somewhere."

"Screw the risks. I'm pressing every button I can find."

"I will call Abby and see if she can rescue us."

"What makes you think Abby is the right choice?"

"I just have a feeling."

"Can't argue with that," McGee said with a shrug.

**Line break- OH JEEZ the suspense!**

"Hello?"

"I wanted to get cheese crust!" Tony said into the reciever as Abby turned away to listen to whoever was calling.

"What's going on? Why do I hear running water in the background?" Ducky wondered who she was talking to. "Okay, I'll be right there with my lock picking kit. Just hang in there. Why didn't you call sooner?" She headed for the elevator. Gibbs was still in MTAC, probably arguing with Vance.

"Don't worry, I'll rescue you guys. Why didn't you call Gibbs first. Oh...I see. But he came in here. Maybe he didn't get your call. Besides, Vance has got him locked up in MTAC about something relating to Mossad or something like that. I wasn't listening. Does McGee still have those straws? Use those as a last resort." The elevator doors slid shut, cutting off the rest of Abby's conversation.

"Wonder what that was about," Tony mused as he hung up the phone. He had seen Abby leave the squad room looking very serious.

"Abigail is off to rescue our agents."

"Why?"

"I assume they are in trouble of some sort."

"Oh, is it about that weather thing you mentioned to me?" Tony started putting the pieces together.

"That would be my best guess, Anthony."

**Line break**

"McGee?"

"Yeah?"

"It is likely we will not make it."

"As I've said before."

"So, there is only one thing to do."

"What?"

"Do you have any plastic straws?"

**Line break**

Abby had no idea where this facility type place was, so she went by instinct, turning where it felt right and even back tracking several times just in case her instincts were wrong. Finally, she came across a run down sort of place out west. She started for the inside of the building, listening carefully for voices and any water type sounds. Up on the fourth floor, the air seemed a little damp. She knew she had found the right spot just around the corner. Abby took out a bobby pin and started to pick the lock.

"Brace yourselves," Abby called. There was a sudden torrent of water as the heavy door flew open. Ziva, McGee, and Abby were all thrown backwards. They tumbled back a floor as water rushed out of that room she had been held prisoner in. Eventually, the wave calmed to a constant stream along the floor. Abby clambered to her feet, wincing as she untangled herself from Ziva and her husband.

"Well, that was interesting," Tim said. "Where are you going?" Abby was walking away from them.

"Back to that machine to turn the water off. I don't want to wake up to half of D.C. being flooded at your hands."

"By the way...I don't think there's a way to reverse what's been done to you. Not with that machine, anyway."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah. I've checked everything."

"A good scientist always double checks. Let me take care of things. Just get back to NCIS and tell Gibbs you're still alive."

"Abby-" Ziva tried to protest.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. This has to be done, and it has to be done by me." She entered the room, her soggy boots wetly clomping against the still soaked floor.

"Let's see what we can do here," Abby said to the machine. She started pressing buttons. Most of them didn't appear to do anything except reset the room to its original settings. Thirty minutes had already passed. Her dizzy spells were getting stronger. She couldn't keep her eyes open much longer. Her hand rested over a purple button without a picture as she drifted off to sleep.

**Line break**

"Ziva, we should respect Abby's wishes," McGee said, growing frustrated as the agent hesitated yet again. They were both extremely sore from being tossed around by the water. All McGee wanted to do was go to NCIS and pick up Rylan from Michelle and Jimmy's house.

"I am going in there!" Ziva insisted. "She does not need to do this alone." McGee sighed and followed her back inside, trying to ignore the injured places that would soon form into angry bruises. They soon made it back into the room they had been in less an hour ago. There was Abby, pale and unconscious and in the chair McGee had sat in earlier.

"Abby!"

"Wait a second," Tim murmured. He was scanning the scene. His eyes rested on her hand, which was on top of a button he had not tried. "There might be an answer here after all." He ran into the room and slammed his hand down on the button. _Calculating values...resetting all modes...undoing all damage..._Abby feebly stirred.

"I can't believe she actually found that," Ziva said in disbelief.

"Well, what do you expect? She's Abigail McGee, scientific extrodinaire."

"I did not know she had such investigative skills."

"Oh, that...well, sometimes there is such a thing as luck in the world of science."


	47. Chapter 47

**AN: AHA! Two updates! That makes up for being gone for five, I think.**

**Abby: You were JUST HERE!**

**Me: :P SO?**

**Disclaimer: The person who made NCIS famous for the first time is Bellisario. The person who made a story using NCIS characters and locations for the first time was obssessed. Let this be a lesson to us all: do not get too involved with any one singular thing. It will take over your life. Unless that thing is something you enjoy. Then that's okay.**

"For the last time, Eli...Ziva will not want to speak with you," Gibbs said with a sigh. This had been going on for over an hour.

"I'll believe it when I hear it from Ziva myself, hey where are you going?" Vance followed Gibbs out, at the end of his rope as well.

"Boss!" Tony exclaimed, leaping to his feet. "Look!" He glanced down and saw Ziva and McGee standing there, soaking wet. In McGee's arms was an unconscious Abby. Ducky stood up and took Abby from them.

"Meet me down in autopsy when both of you have changed into drier clothes," Ducky said.

"I'm going to pick up the kids from daycare," Tony announced. "We can get clothes for you and Abby at our house."

**Line break**

That afternoon, Abby was sitting at home feeding Rylan, wondering when things had started getting so crazy. Surely it had to have been when that weather machine came along. But...life was out of control long before that. _Of course. It all goes back to that vacation I took to Florida. It figures. Does this mean every mystery is solved? Or has it only just begun?_

"Abby," Tim breathed a sigh of relief when he saw just how fine his wife was doing.

"Hey. Don't scare me like that again."

"I seriously thought we were going to die today. I wanted to call you and tell you that I love you."

"What held you back?" He handed her his phone. It was completely waterlogged and useless.

"How close were you to...you know..."

"Ziva was seconds away from getting a straw so that she could breathe by the time you got there."

"I love you." Tim leaned over and pressed his lips to hers.

"Not while I'm breastfeeding," Abby said, pulling away from him. "Tonight, for sure, we can celebrate. That coffin is pretty cozy with you in it." Tim smiled.

**Line break**

"Can't believe I was seconds from losing you," Tony said to Ziva on the phone as he drove over to the day care.

"Actually, the average person can hold their breath for-"

"You know what I mean." Tony rolled his eyes and turned the steering wheel.

"Well, I, unlike McGee, had faith in my own survival."

"Very resourceful of you to think of those straws I planted on McGee when we went out to that resturaunt last week."

"I cannot believe you got away with stealing half the supply of straws." Tony grinned.

"You know me. Can't pass up an opportunity to mess with Probie."

**Line break**

Gibbs was in his basement working on his boat again. He had come down here to be alone. What he was not expecting was an unnannounced visitor descending the stairs in those familiar platform shoes. However, he didn't stop working, not even when a stool was set down across from him and heard the sound of someone sitting on it rather violently, as if they were trying to catch his attention.

"Abs, it doesn't take that much to get noticed."

"Maybe my point wasn't to get noticed."

"If that was you trying to be sneaky I know you can do better than that on any day." She shrugged and took a slurp of Caf-Pow! A sign that things were settling back into normalcy at last.

"This was where it all started," Abby said. "This was where I first realized I was getting sick..." Her voice trailed off, lost in memories of past. Gibbs set down his sander and looked at her.

"It's all over now."

"Don't be so sure about that, Gibbs. Steve got away and there's still the matter of my cousin out there somewhere. I have no idea how he was involved in this operation, though."

"We'll find out, then," Gibbs replied. Abby was quiet for a few minutes as she processed this. Finally, she got to her feet.

"I better get home. Rylan needs me." Gibbs didn't think anything of her departure. All he wanted was a little alone time with his boat. But, almost immediately after Abby had left, Ziva appeared in his proeferal vision. He sighed. At this rate, nothing was going to get done.

"Just because my door's unlocked..." Gibbs reminded her.

"Doesn't mean I'm invited," Ziva finished. "I know. I just wanted to tell you I found out who Abby's cousin is." _Well, that was fast,_ Gibbs thought.

"How?"

"Vance and I had a little...discussion regarding Abby's file." Gibbs had to fight a grin upon hearing that. "Abby's cousin is Terence Sciuto. He lives in Miami. He was the one who had left the insects unattended, leaving Hades free reign to do as he wished with them for a few minutes."

"Anything else?"

"There is still more investigating to be done. So far, I do not think he had any involvement."

"Find out more. I need you to interview Terence. Bring him into interrogation if you have to. Find any connection that he has to Abby, Hades, Steve, anyone we are or have been on the lookout for." Ziva nodded.

"I must be getting on home. It has been quite the day for us."

"Don't disagree with you there." Ziva smiled at him, then made her leave.

**Line break**

Steve wearily examined his machine. Everything had been reset. No problem. He still had his connections to Abby, although they did not know it. His fingers grazed each singular shiny button in a loving caress he had not gotten the opportunity to give any one person. But the machine had its own intentions. It had seen the many things it was used for. All it would take was the proper buttons and the right timing...Steve paid no attention to the whirling lights as he left the room, satisfied with the new arrangements he made with the programming. Little did he know that would be his very downfall.

**AN: STOP YELLING AT ME I KNOW IT'S SHORT! But there's a reason for that you'll thank me for later on. At least I hope so.**


	48. Chapter 48

_Where are the answers?_

_In your memories. It's all there. Just remember._

Abby stared at the ceiling, trying to fall asleep but not succeeding. Scarecly six hours had passed since her conversation with Gibbs in his basement. She had to remember. The important parts were nothing but blackness and confusion. She blocked it before she could remember. Why? She didn't know. It was the past. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter...everything spun away and began to look hazy. For a second she was unsure of reality. Suddenly, Tim's arm flopped onto her chest. Her breath came out in a rush, chest falling downward and consciousness rushing upward. The effect was dizzying. It was not quite enough to wake her husband, but he did whisper her name in that endearing way of his that caused such relief. She carefully climbed out of the coffin, glad that Rylan had started sleeping most of the night now. Having some quiet was good. Maybe it would allow her to remember. Or maybe not. She didn't know.

"Why are you awake?" Somehow, she knew he would wake upon realizing there was not a warm body to cuddle against.

"Can't sleep." That was the truth. She did not say why.

"It's all over now."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Abby whispered harshly, more to herself than to Tim. "It is _not_ over. You are lying." Steve, her cousin, and possibly someone else. It was always in threes. Always. That was how it went. No one questioned it. Her head snapped back and she gasped as, painfully, a memory took up her concentration so quickly that she didn't even have time to breathe as it crashed over her like ice water.

_"Hey, I need you to come to Key West for me, okay? I'm visiting this place for a while. They needed my help but this is just not my area of expertise. Could you come by for a couple days? Just tell your precious agents you're on vacation. No need to make them worry over nothing."_

_"But...I never take a day off," Abby said, confused._

_"I'm sure you can come up with some excuse. Come on. They believe anything you say, right?"_

_"Only if it is the truth."_

_"So tell them the truth, that I need you for something. Family emergency, right? You don't need to go into detail."_

_"If you say so..."_

_"That's my girl."_

"Abby? Abs? What is it?" Tim was shaking her now, frightened by the look on her face. She shook her head as another memory swam up to the surface.

_I'm here for Terence. Dear Terence, I haven't seen you since that Thanksgiving when...well that's understandable. I don't blame you one bit for leaving after experiencing such humiliation. You should tell your parents the truth. Sometimes, you just don't know all the answers. Abby stepped out into the sunlight and was startled by the Florida heat beating down on her black clothing. It was going to be a long couple days. She should have thought this through. But she'd been through worse. So, ignoring the heat and air that tasted more like mosquitos than Key West sand, she ventured forward out of the small motel._

_"Abby, dearest! Come on to my liar, I mean place of temporary residence!" Abby couldn't help but smile at Terence's good natured attitude. His skin had darkened over the past few years, so now he was a nice dark brown all over._

_"Thanksgiving a little much for you?" Abby joked feebly. Terence shrugged, but she could see a mild flicker of pain in his eyes. He was still living in the past. Not a healthy thing for anyone. Especially him. Oh, he sure knew how to hold a grudge. An unfortunate quality for her cousin to possess._

_"There is a machine that needs to be calibrated properly. Follow me and I shall show you what to do."_

"Ducky, I don't know what's wrong with her. She won't answer me."

"Just give her some time, Timothy. I am certain this is a lot for Abigail to comprehend at the moment. Whatever it is."

"I'm scared. What if...what if she's remembering something from, you know, him?" Tim was too scared to even say his name, but Ducky knew what the agent meant. Most of the time Hades was mentioned without name because he did not even deserve the luxary of a true identity. At least, according to Tim.

"I doubt it is that. Those memories have stopped giving her this much grief for some time now. This must be something we have overlooked."

_The machine was huge, no, monstorous. It swallowed her up in its largeness. She couldn't stop staring at the mechanical demon just sitting there, flaunting its...well, everything. All those buttons. She didn't know where everything ended and the room began. It was hard to tell._

_"Just do as they tell you and it'll all be fine. You probably won't even have to remember half this stuff at NCIS." Abby nodded slowly, still unable to speak due to her shock._

"Who's Terence?" Tim asked.

"Hmm?" Abby mumbled, coming back to reality temporarily.

"I said, who is Terence?"

"My cousin," she replied dreamily. She sank back into sleep, lost in memories no one could reach or did not want to reach.

_"What was that machine?" Abby asked some hours later as she stood outside in the muggy Florida heat. They had just finished up with the work required._

_"I honestly have no clue," Terence said. "Many have spoken of it as something evil. But I couldn't tell you what it does or what it's even called." There was something off in his expression Abby couldn't identify, but she didn't think anything of it._

_"Thanks for helping me by the way. You didn't have to give me all the money, though. You earned it."_

_"I don't really need it. At NCIS, I've got all I need." She smiled, thinking of Tim and the others. Terence rolled his eyes and continued counting his sizable stack of money. Abby skipped off to her motel, which happened to be nearby. She went to go pack up. However, that night, things got really strange. She had dreams of mosquitos attacking her, repeatedly sticking their sharp barbs into her soft, vulnerable skin. The next morning she woke up with misquito bites covering her entire body._

_"What the...?" She felt so itchy. She reached for the bite cream. Fifteen minutes and one bottle of anti-itch cream later, she was ready to start getting ready to leave._

_"Going already?" Terence asked with a sad face._

_"Yes. I need to get back to NCIS. They'll be missing me."_

_"Alright. I hope to see you soon, then." Abby smiled at him._

_"I don't doubt that." With that, she bid her farewell and headed off for the airport._

She jolted into wakefulness and discovered that it was now morning. Tim was not there in bed next to her. Now what? She had no one to tell about the new information she had just discovered. Wait a minute. Wouldn't Jewel, Adien, and Daniela be returning from ttheir vacation today? Perhaps she could give Jewel a call and see what she had to say on the matter.

"Come on, pick up..." Abby mumbled, pacing back and forth in the bedroom. Just as Jewel answered her phone, Rylan woke up and started crying.

"Hello?

"Hey," Abby said, picking up Rylan to feed him.

"We're heading back today. What's up? Any new cases?"

"Actually...no. But I wanted to talk to you about something. You see, before I fell ill all those months ago, I had gone to Key West for a vacation."

"I know. Vance told me it was in your file." Curse that file. Nothing stayed private anymore. Rylan greedily sucked at the prepared bottle filled with formula.

"What about it, anyway?" Jewel was saying. Abby told her every single thing that she had remembered last night. Jewel listened in silence. In the background she could hear Daniela asking what time it was and Adien answering her quietly.

"Well, we already know Hades was definitely there that day watching you. How could you not have seen him?"

"We're still missing something crucial," Abby murmured. "The machine. What purpose was it supposed to serve all along? And another thing. I don't think this machine was made by any one person. Hades was not acting alone, for once in his life."

"That would make sense. I should be back within six to eight hours. See you soon."

**Line break**

The whirring lights grew more intense. It was only a matter of time. Only one button left to be pressed, and that would be the catlyst for what was to come next. Surely, something like this was meant to be. This had to be done. If not today, then another day. If not here, then definitely elsewhere. If not the creater, then someone else. It was bound to happen at some point in history. The blueprints had been overlooked one too many times. Hades was about to have his last laugh from beyond the grave. And, if nobody did anything about it, nothing would stop what was destined to happen next. The machine made wild noises, getting crazier by the second. It was changing. Soon, its actions would be able to affect the whole world. The second Steve walked in, it fell silent, waiting. A great red button was pressed, and the whirring started again.

"Alright. Let's see..." He pressed a random button and walked back out of the room. His machine, at first, did nothing. It was waiting for the proper time. Then, a few moments later, it began the task it was given, only on a much larger scale than anyone could have predicted. However, it would be days, perhaps even a week, before anyone would notice a difference.

**Line break**

"I'm worried about Abby," Tim said to Ducky that morning.

"As am I."

"She hardly spoke a word last night."

"I know."

"She was tossing and turning all night."

"That is to be expected when someone is as troubled as Abigail happens to be."

"I wish she would call me."

"Why don't you call her?" Ducky suggested.

"Hey, that's a great idea!" Tim smiled and took out his brand new cell phone that he had purchased that morning. It was black, shiny, and had a touch screen. Ducky hoped Tim could afford such a device.

"Abby? Are you doing okay? You really scared me last night. Want to tell me what was going on?" He listened for quite a while, occasionally nodding and interjecting with a comment of some sort. Ducky turned away, losing interest in their conversation. Jimmy ran in just then, looking like he had seen a ghost.

"Doctor! Something is going on with my wife!"

"Care to be a little more specific, Mr. Palmer?"

"I don't know! She won't tell me anything!" He was starting to panic.

"All right. I'll come with you then. Where is my medical bag?"

"Let me know if you learn anything else," Tim said into the reciever. "I love you. I'll call you later. Okay, bye." He left the room and stepped into the elevator. He pressed a button that was quite familiar to him. The elevator began to climb upward. He felt as though a part of him had been left down in autopsy with those last exchanged words he had with the love of his life. Things were about to get worse. He could feel it.


	49. Chapter 49

**AN: Happy October, everybody! A small present from me to you, Chapter 49! Hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Bellisario called. He wants his characters back.**

During the weeks that went by, the weather started fluctuating around the world. NCIS scrambled to find a way to stop machine, which they knew was causing all this trouble. But, despite this, life went on. Ziva and Tony's triplets grew up a little more, Jewel became a probationary agent of NCIS as a profiler, and Abby started training Daniela as a forensic specialist. Meanwile, Adien got a job as a psychiatrist. His office was nearby, and he would always be just a phone call away despite his crazy working hours.

As Rylan turned four months old, life was getting into a new normal once again. It was just after breakfast, and Rylan was laying down for his morning nap. McGee pulled Abby aside, a loving look in his emerald eyes that were the same yet so different from hers. She gazed questioningly at him. Tim stepped foward and pressed his lips to her own. She closed her eyes and unconsciously responded, forgetting for a moment that her only son was in the room next door sound asleep.

"Want to try for a girl?" he asked once he had finally caught his breath. Lately, they had been using protection, but not very much of it, since the pills were expensive and caring for Rylan already cost them enough of their paychecks. So, the question caught Abby off guard more than usual.

"Wow, really?" Abby breathed. "Of course I do! I'm sure Rylan would love to have a little sister!" Tim smiled, picked her up, and spun her around. Over the months, Abby had steadily lost the baby weight, with help from Ducky and Ziva, of course. She wouldn't have wanted to do it alone. There was somehow less of an accomplishment sort of feel if she was only doing it for herself.

"Come on...we've still got a little time, right?" Abby grinned at him. In response, Tim pulled her into bed, kissing her fiercely the whole time. She moaned in pleasure and clung closer to him like he was her last lifeline. His lips brushed her neck and her arms wrapped around him even tighter. Abby allowed herself to melt into her husband as her emotions grew more intense and the desire exploded into one moment of passion. Kisses became more frequent and hands wandered in a desperate, hungry way, almost as if they were trying to rediscover one another. They fit together perfectly, almost as if they had been made for one another, which, in a sense, was very true. After a while, Abby snuggled up against Tim under the blanket, feeling very comfortable.

"I should probably check on Rylan." Tim got dressed and left the room. Abby went to take a shower, thinking it would be a good idea to get a start on the day anyway, since it was well past nine-thirty. Ten hot and wet minutes later, she stepped out of the shower, feeling very refreshed, and still all bubbly and glowing on the inside from her first unprotected sex in her entire marriage with Tim. This child wouldn't be concieved in a sinful act, but rather a joyful loving experience shared between two people that truly loved one another.

Abby padded back into the bedroom, still wrapped up in a fluffy white towel. She slipped into lowcut white blouse and a lacy skirt. Back in the bathroom, she blowdried her hair, running a brush through it until it was nice and soft, an after effect of the shampoo. She was just putting her hair up into pigtails as Tim came in with Rylan, who was smiling and making cute noises.

"You look absolutely beautiful," Tim said. He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Abby blushed, feeling a smile spread across her face. "Since today is Saturday, and it's a nice day out, why don't we all go for a walk in the park? I'm sure Rylan would love a little outdoors time with us as a family."

"I don't see why not," Abby replied with a shrug. "Just let me find my boots and I'll be right out." She had already put on her make-up before drying out her hair. She crawled around in the bedroom, searching for the left, then the right boot. All geared up to go, she finally got to her feet and made a grab for her purse, which was sitting on the night stand. Then a familiar Metallica song started blaring from where she kept her phone. Ziva was calling. She pulled out her phone and put it up to her ear.

"What's up, Ziva?"

"Gibbs wants you to come in by noon today to do the next step in training Daniela." Abby sighed and stole a glance at the clock as she went into the living room. It was almost ten now. It would take at least twenty minutes to get to the park, and then they'd have to walk back.

"Can we come in later?" Abby whined. "I really just want to have a day off."

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"No. Timmy and I are going to the park with Rylan. Just explain this to Gibbs for me. I'm sure Daniela could survive an hour or two on her own."

"Change of plans," Ziva interjected. "He wants you with us now. There is a case, and Daniela is needed to process the scene since Tony is out with the girls getting them new outfits. They have all grown so much these past few weeks."

"Fine, we'll be right over." Abby sighed and hung up.

"What's wrong?" Tim asked as he wrestled with the buckles for Rylan's stroller.

"Have to cancel on the park trip, Tim. Gibbs needs us at the crime scene. Ziva texted me the address so we need to go now."

"Fine...you go ahead and get out there, tell Gibbs I'll be a little late."

**Line break**

Ziva took a step forward, intending to get a closeup photo of the body. She never did. In that moment, the ground started shaking violently. The camera tumbled out of her hands and smashed against the concrete. All hell broke loose as an earthquake rumbled through the earth, a 9.7 magnitude.

"Get down!" Gibbs yelled as buildings started to collapse. Car alarms began going off. People running everywhere, screaming as pieces of building fell down. Some were not so lucky, and became trapped under lamp posts, tree branches, and other various heavy things. Ziva stumbled and almost fell on top of Daniela, who was clinging for dear life onto the van Ducky and Jimmy had arrived in.

"What do we do?" Daniela shouted.

"I do not know!" Ziva responded. She had never experienced an earthquake back in Israel, so she had never prepared for one. The ground was starting to crack. Normally, earthquakes lasted a minute or two, but the aftershocks went on for fifteen minutes afterward, all of them well over a 7.0 magnitude, according to Ducky's observations. At that moment, a very familiar red car pulled onto the scene, jerking to a stop due to the earthquake. Abby stepped out and instantly lost her balance. Her hands scraped against the ground as she fell. Gibbs helped her up, the only one still standing in the chaos.

"Gibbs, what's happening?"

"Earthquake." At that moment, the final aftershock came to an end. All was still. The entire street was in complete shambles.

"Duck, make sure all the evidence and the body are both secure," Gibbs ordered. "Ziva, head back to NCIS and see if everything is still intact. Everyone else, just go home for now until everything is figured out."

"That machine again?" Abby asked. Gibbs nodded.

"We need to find a way to shut the thing down," Jimmy said. "Things are getting out of control."

"But we've already tried everything," Daniela protested. "Blowing it up, reset, shut down, it just somehow resets itself...the programming is like nothing like I've ever read about."

"There must be something that allows it to self repair," Gibbs said. "Find it, destroy it, then the machine is vulnerable."

"I'll do it," Tim called, getting out of his car with Rylan in tow. Gibbs gave him a look. "Boss, you know that I'm the best one with computers. This machine is nothing but a giant, complex computer. If I take the thing apart, I can find the source of its programming. I can change a few lines of code with will change everything about its makeup."

"What?" Gibbs was confused. Abby sighed.

"You have to tell him in Gibbs speak," she explained. "He's from a completely different time period." Gibbs glared at her.

"See, where he comes from, looking at people like that is completely acceptable." Tim rolled his eyes.

"You know what...let's just get Rylan at home and fed first before we do anything."

**Line break**

As it turns out, the spread of the earthquake only went several miles, so NCIS was left untouched, save for a few cracks in the foundation and some fallen pencils from Tony's desk. Ziva sighed in relief and sat at her own desk, preparing to call Gibbs and tell him everything was fine. As she reached for her phone, she caught a glimpse of Vance descending the stairs, searching the bullpen.

"Agent David, where are the others?"

"Tony should be on his way back from the mall with the children. Everyone else got caught in the earthquake." At that moment, Gibbs breezed into the bullpen, holding the typical strong black coffee in his hand.

"Everyone alright?" Vance inquired. Gibbs just nodded and sat down at his desk. "Good. I'll give SecNav the report then." He went back into MTAC, the door slamming behind him.

**Line break**

"Well, this day sure took quite a turnaround," Tim commented, watching the news story on the earthquake. It would take quite sometime for everything to be rebuilt. It was even worse damage than what would be found in the aftermath of a hurricane.

"You're telling me," Abby muttered, coming back with Rylan, who was now in a clean diaper and very happy about it. "I was hoping for us to just have a nice, normal day, but there's no such thing as that anymore; only a day without life changing events and a day with one." Tim nodded in agreement and changed the channel to a different news station.

"...least seventeen or more were killed in this unexpected accident."

"Earthquakes don't happen in D.C. do they, Alice?" the anchorman asked as the camera panned back to the other screen. "Federal authorities are working hard to solve this weather crisis, as they believe there is a cause to all this insane weather going on. Stay tuned for the ten'o'clock news, where we interview someone from this agency called NCIS on the matter."

"Interview, huh?" Abby mused. "Did they give you the call?" Tim shrugged and turned off the TV. He wasn't willing to admit what happened just yet. On the way to the crime scene, ABC news had called him, asking him to go to their studio tonight for an interview. He wanted his appearence on television to be a surprise.

"Let's not think of this now...I'll go make us some lunch. Wait here." His lips brushed her forehead and then he was gone. Abby sighed happily and looked down at her only son.

"Oh, little Rylan, how did I get so lucky?" she murmured, her eyes clouded with memories that were filled with nothing but joy. The infant innocently stared at her and cocked his head slightly, as if trying to understand her.

"You will grow up to be very smart, I just know it," she continued cheerfully, bouncing Rylan up and down in her lap. He started to laugh, enjoying the entertainment.

"Nothing more precious than a child's laughter," Tim said, coming back in with two peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches on a plate. "But not as precious as yours." Abby smiled and reached over for a sandwich.

"Hey now, I think we're both just as amazing."

"It's a close tie," he ammended. She smirked at him and took a bite of sandwich.

"That's what I thought."

"When do you think we should try again for this whole park thing?" he asked, growing serious once more.

"Tomorrow, or whenever you want." He nodded and started on eating his own lunch.

"Sounds good. I'll tell Gibbs, then."

"You might want to head to NCIS. We've got a case to work on after all."

"Yes, we. Which means you, too."

"I'm still on maternity leave until Rylan stops breastfeeding and moves onto solid foods."

"How much longer is that?"

"Well, soon he'll start teething...what a nightmare that will be...and it'll take a few weeks after that for him to adjust to the change in his diet, and then I have to get him to eat on his own. So, maybe another month and a half to two months."

"Really?" Tim whined. "That's so long!" Abby rolled her eyes, unimpressed at his overreaction at the calculation.

"Stop being a baby and go talk to Gibbs."

"I'll call you."

"Don't worry about me. And remember...this isn't permanent."

"I know, Abs." He finished his sandwich left the apartment. Abby threw out her own sandwish, not feeling that hungry at the moment. Rylan sleepily gazed at his mother, already getting bored.

"Come on, let's get you into bed," Abby said in a singsong voice. Rylan fussed a little bit, but otherwise was no trouble as she lay him down for another nap. He had been getting tired a lot more lately. She worriedly felt his forehead. He felt a little warm, but nothing a little air conditioning wouldn't fix. She turned on the air and went to go read a book. She didn't know how much time had passed until she heard soft wailing from in the nursery. Abby set aside her book and went to check on Rylan. His face looked slightly flushed, but she assumed it was just from all the crying.

"Shh, there, you're okay," Abby whispered, trying to soothe the infant. He just cried even louder. She got a thermometer and checked his temperature. 102.3! That wasn't good. Her baby was coming down with a fever. Instead of panicking and calling Ducky, she went to go find an ice pack to cool Rylan down.

"Here we go," she said to herself, coming back into the nursery with the object in question. After fifteen minutes of the ice pack and softly singing to him, Rylan slowly calmed down and went to sleep. _Then_ she called Ducky.

"Hello, Abigail, I'm in the middle of an autopsy right now, so if you could-"

"Put me on speakerphone then," Abby suggested.

"Alright, you are on speakerphone. What seems to be the trouble?"

"Rylan is running a temperature. I was wondering if you could check on him and see if everything is okay with him."

"I'm not sure as to when I can swing by there. Perhaps I can send Jimmy your way. Would that be alright with you?"

"Perfect. There's no rush right now. His fever doesn't seem to be dangerous right now."

"All the same, I think Mr. Palmer should get there as soon as possible."

"If that would make you feel better about it, make it so. Thank you, Ducky."

"My pleasure."

**Line break**

"Adien!" Jewel snapped as she stormed into his office. "I swear to God...what is it now? You're keeping me out of the office, and Gibbs will be so mad when he finds out I haven't been in there at all today-"

"Did you take a look at the news?" Adien interrupted.

"Well, no, but that's beside my-"

"Daniela's been hurt in the earthquake wreckage. A lamppost fell on her as she was walking to the bus stop. She was taken to Bethesda almost an hour ago. I just got the call. You might want to get there, and fast." She ran out of the small office as fast as her legs would carry her. _No, no no! Not again! I swear to God, if I lose her-_Jewel choked on her own tears, but kept running, trying to hide the emotions threatening to show at the same time.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" she whispered to herself, starting the car and putting it into gear. She couldn't afford to lose her only daughter. Funny how time didn't want to work with you in times of absolute crisis. She expertly weaved through traffic, using techniques she had learned from knowing MCRT and being with them in multiple emergencies. Her thoughts briefly flitted to Abby as she made the familiar route to Bethesda. She felt guilty for not keeping in touch. Well, nothing to be done about it now...she had to see if her daughter could be saved or even had a chance of being saved. The endless worries of a mother didn't cease with age. In fact, they increased. This she knew very well.

"Come on, come on!" she moaned, banging her head against the steering wheel as traffic started building up at the last light. So close...yet so far. Jewel sighed and took an alternate route. It would take longer on an ordinary day, but at least she wouldn't be stuck in traffic, which in this case, would hold her back more than a longer route. Finally, she pulled into the parking lot and made it into the hospital.

"That way," the receptionist pointed without looking up. _Wow, she's good,_ Jewel thought as she made her way through the maze-like and sterile smelling hospital. As it turned out, Daniela had just gotten out of surgery; she had only suffered from a few snapped ribs, a gash in her stomach, and a fractured ankle. Of course, bruises covered the area where the lamp post had landed, but those would heal a lot sooner.

"Honey, are you okay?" Daniela could barely lift her head to nod.

"My neck hurts," she murmured. "But I'll be fine. I've had worse."

"Oh, you're so brave!" Jewel pulled her daughter into a gentle hug.

"Can I rest now? I feel sore."

"Of course you can, sweetie. I'll come back later."

**Line break**

"Is everything alright with him?" Abby asked anxiously for the third time. Jimmy stepped back from the restless infant and looked at her.

"I think it's just a twenty-four hour bug. Give it a day or two and he should be fine. If his temperature stays past 103 degrees for more than an hour, get him to the hospital as soon as possible."

"I'll...keep that in mind," Abby said softly. "Thank you."

"What are friends for?" Jimmy smiled at her. She smiled weakly back, but there was still an echo of motherly worry in her eyes.

**Line break**

"Boss, how am I supposed to stop this machine?" Tim exclaimed over the phone. "I've tried everything. This programming...it's just too complex." Hours had passed since he had come into this dreaded room. So far he had been drenched in a tormenting rainshower, dehydrated by a drought, and suffocated in howling winds. The machine stood there unscathed while Tim shivered in his soaking wet clothes.

"Figure it out," was his response. The line went dead. _Great, now what am I supposed to do, press buttons willy nilly and type random lines of code?_ That seemed to be his only option. But, wait a minute...maybe it wasn't!

"Of course!" He smacked himself on the forehead. "Why didn't I think of it sooner?" He started typing away at his laptop, which was hooked up to the machine. It was a weather machine, so he should just...get in and switch the weather coding to have the weather patterns self destruct it.

"I am such an idiot for not thinking of this," he muttered, gazing at line after line of scrawling code. But at least he did, a small voice in the back of his head argued. _True, very true. I should stop beating myself up about this and just focus on the job at hand._ And that is exactly what he did.


	50. Chapter 50

**Me: Hi. Yes, I know, it has been such a long wait. I am sorry about that.**

**Abby: No you're not.**

**Me: Don't make me give Bert to Tony.**

**Abby: NO! I swear, if you do that-**

**Me: Oops!**

**Disclaimer: Um, we seem to have lost it. Whoops.**

"Any word on Timmy?" Abby asked quietly. The familar white walls of Bethesda seemed far away and blurry. How could she have gotten here so quickly?

_Flashback_

_Abby sat casually on the couch, having finished up with changing and feeding Rylan then playing with him for a little bit before he got too tired. Now all she had to do while waiting for Timmy to come home was...nothing. She sighed, suddenly feeling tired. She drifted off a little. Suddenly, her phone rang. Abby snapped out of her half-awake stupor and reached for the phone._

_"Hello?"_

_"Abby, before you freak out...McGee's at the hospital. He succeeded on destroying the machine, but-"_

_"What happened?" she demanded, getting Rylan out of his crib and putting him in the stroller sitting in the nursery. This reaction was automatic for her. The panic was already beginning to settle in. Oh, God, what if he was dead?_

_"From what I can tell, there was a large explosion, and Timothy was injured. It is nothing serious, just some first-degree burns. They are looking him over now for any other signs of discomfort." Well, it was a relief. But he still didn't deserve this. He did not deserve pain! Not her husband!_

_End Flashback_

"Come, Abigail," Ducky said softly. Ziva and Tony were focused on their triplets. Jimmy played with Rylan. She numbly stepped into the room he pointed at. There was McGee, awake and alert. He smiled upon seeing his wife enter the room.

"Hey, it's worse than it looks," he said jokingly. Several patches of skin were an angry red, some of it was even blistered.

"Oh, Timmy," Abby breathed, wrapping her husband into a hug. Her heart jolted, and her lips smashed against his. She couldn't get enough of his irresitable and unmistakable scent, even if it was mixed with icky hospital smells that caused her nose to wrinkle in disgust. Someone cleared their throat, causing her to spring away from him, cheeks flaming with embarrassment at the sight of a female doctor standing just inside the doorway.

"Don't worry about it," the doctor said. "I walk in to this kind of thing all the time." She eyed the unusual ring on Abby's finger. "How long have the two of you been married?"

"A month," Abby replied confidently.

"Well, Mrs. McGee I think it is time I go over some vitals." Abby nodded and left the room knowing Rylan would have to be put down for a nap soon. Besides, if she knew Gibbs at all, he probably had some Caf-Pow! for her.

**NCIS**

An hour later, Abby found herself at home with Rylan again, feeling a little lonely without McGee there. Tony and Ziva were obviously unavailable since they were contstantly busy with Taliah, Maria, and Jane. Jewel wouldn't answer her phone. A wave of sadness crashed over her, and she curled up tighter on the couch, not paying attention to the movie playing. _Why me? Why do I have to be all alone?_ Tears stung her eyes. Exhaustiong was taking over. She slipped into painless and unknowing darkness before she even realized exactly how tired she was.

**NCIS**

"How much longer am I going to be here?" McGee asked tiredly after hours of tests.

"You can be discharged in fifteen minutes," the doctor promised. There was the sound of clicking heels, and then she was gone. Tim sighed and listlessly flipped through a magazine from five years ago. Clorful ads and questionable rumors flitted across his eyes but he paid no attention. The only thing really on his mind was Abby. He wondered if she was doing alright on her own.

**NCIS**

"How's Jane doing?" Tony inquired, sitting across from Ziva at the dining table. His wife shook her head and didn't meet his eyes. Well, that was strange. She normally didn't behave like this when their children were involved. Tony decided to check up on the child himself. He always knew Jane was different from the other two girls. Everything appeared fine. He nodded and exited the nursery, feeling satisfied. But that still left one question, if it wasn't the children that Ziva was worried about, why was she in such a strange mood?

**NCIS**

"Ever heard of knocking?" Vance asked as he turned away from the MTAC screen to see Gibbs standing there. "How did you get clearence to come in here without my permission, by the way?" Gibbs held up a bobby pin. "Right, now you've turned into Ziva. What do you want?"

"Your office," was all Gibbs said as he left the dark shadowy world of MTAC. Vance sighed and followed him out, glad that the bastard had at least waited until the meeting was over. _Maybe he just wants to talk. Yeah right, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, talk? I must be delusional. More likely I'll be doing all the guessing while he's glaring at me, angry that I have to be right about some argument or other._ Vance shook his head and stepped into his office.

**NCIS**

"You came all this way to see me?" Adien asked, amused by his wife's antics. She smiled at him.

"I figured out what's different about Daniela," she said.

"Oh really?"

"She's got herself a little...friend."

"Define friend," Adien said, starting to pack up his things for the day. Jewel's smile just grew wider as she looked out the window. Adien followed her gaze and saw Daniela talking to a boy that looked quite unfamiliar. She was blushing and twirling her hair. The boy had yet to get a clue, though. He was staring at her curiously, as if he thought she had lost her mind. But the look in his eyes was almost identical to Daniela's.

"I see," Adien murmured. He resumed packing up the paperwork into his briefcase. "I ought to talk to her, then." Jewel watched her daughter fondly, wondering what words were being exchanged between the two young adolescents.

_Meanwhile..._

"You were actually...worried about me?" Daniela asked, feeling a blush creep across her cheeks. Nate nodded, gazing stright into her. She could never resist those dark, caring eyes.

"That's what friends are for, right?" he said softly. She smiled at him, hiding the urge to shout that she wanted to be more than friends.

"Of course," she replied. The covnersation felt fake, forced almost. There was the smallest chance he felt the same way. But she didn't want to ruin their friendship by making the wrong decision. Nate ran a hand through his dark, spiky hair. He looked almost...stressed for some reason.

"Did I ever tell you my mom works for NCIS?" she blurted. Her eyes went wide and almost drifted to the window.

"NCIS? Really? I may have heard that used once or twice."

"From who?"

"My dad. He works for the FBI." Suddenly, she wasn interested. Daniela leaned forward slightly.

"Who is your dad?" Nate didn't seem to mind the questions, considering they were coming from her and they have been friends for years now. Nate had a way of staying under the radar though. Daniela's parents didn't even know he existed.

"Tobias Fornell. He mentioned some guy named Gibbs...you know him?"

"Yeah, I pass by him now and again," she replied casually.

"I saw him at a crime scene once and saw how good he was with kids. Ever since then I wanted to meet Agent Gibbs."

"I can arrange that," Daniela said. "My mom and dad are about to leave. I can come up with an escuse for us to stop by NCIS quite easily." Nate stared at her in disbelief.

"You'd do that for me?"

"What else are friends for?" she asked slyly, linking her hand in his. They took off together, heading for the inside of the courthouse. The only thing Daniela could think about the whole time was how her hand felt in Nate's. She wondered if the same thing was distracting him. He was being awfully quiet...should she ask if this felt wrong to him?

**NCIS**

"Alright, what is it?" Vance asked impatiently once they were safely inside his office with the door shut tight.

"Steve's still on the loose," Gibbs noted, nodding toward the window.

"Yeah, I was wondering when we'd get back to that," the Director said. "Find out whatever you can on him and I'll handle the big picture."

"Isn't that your job, Director?" Gibbs quipped. earning a quick glare from Vance in response.

"I suppose it is," he replied smoothly, his eyes still hard and cold. "Don't push your luck, Agent Gibbs, you hear me?"

**NCIS**

Abby was startled into wakefulness when she sensed someone in the living room. But when she looked around, she didn't see anything. Not feeling tired anymore, she decided to go grab a Caf-Pow! from the fridge as a starter for the meal she planned to make later. There was a quiet noise when she got off the couch. She paused, feeling uncertain.

"Should chack on Rylan," Abby muttered. It was way too quiet. Plus, she had that icky feeling in her gut that she got when something was terribly wrong. _Someone is definitely in the house..._even the air felt different. Rylan was fine, though. She gave him a pacifier so he'd stop crying. She checked every room of the house, wondering why she felt like someone was following her every move. Back in the living room, she saw a vase full of black roses sitting on the end table. _That wasn't there five minutes ago._ She approached the vase and saw a notecard in familiar masculine handwriting. _Abby._ She opened the card.

_Abby,_

_I love you more than life itself. I hope you enjoy this little surprise I managed to order on my way home._

_- Tim_

"Oh, Timmy..." She felt tears of joy wash down her face. The familiar scent enveloped her as his arms pulled her backward into him. Her husband was home. She felt whole once more.

**NCIS**

"Don't be too long," Jewel said to Nate and Daniela.

"Don't worry," Daniela promised.

"Your father and I are going out on a date. You two have free reign until midnight. Here is my bus pass." She handed Daniela a piece of cardboard. "Keep it safe for me, okay? I trust you both, even if one of you I don't exactly know yet." She was gone.

"What should we do now?" Nate asked, looking around.

"Let's find Gibbs first, like you wanted," Daniela said. "Here he comes now." A door opened and shut. Nate looked up to see a silver haired man descending the stairs, looking quite purposeful.

"Agent Gibbs?" Nate inquired politely when the man came to a halt. "My name is Nate. I am a friend of Daniela's."

"There a reason why you're here?" Gibbs asked in his typical gruff way.

"I just wanted to meet you. Casual curiousity. I have seen you at a crime scene once on my way to school."

"Can't say I ever saw you," the man replied bluntly.

"Well, no," Nate admitted. "You were busy comforting a child."

"When was this?" Gibbs questioned suspisiously.

"Two months ago." Gibbs blinked. He seemed to vaguely remember the moment when he saw some pale dark haired kid staring at him from out of the corner of his eye. But that only happened for a moment, and then the kid was gone before he truly saw him. Gibbs snapped himself out of the flashback and focused on the present.

"It is an honor to meet you, Agent Gibbs," Nate said, his eyes shining with repsect and sincerity. Gibbs lifted his chin slightly, the closest he'd get to actually responding. Daniela led Nate away before he could annoy the man.

"What do you think?" she whispered, stepping into the elevator.

"He doesn't talk much," Nate noted. "But he has a way with words when it matters."

"Ducky should still be here. He'd like you."

"Ducky?" Nate repeated, amused. "I wonder who else works here..." Daniela just smiled. Oh, if only he knew. She had so many surprises and plans for their friendship so eventually it would turn into something more by the end of the month. She desperately wanted to find out how Nate felt about her without saying a word. In her eyes, this appeared to be the only way.

**NCIS**

"Any reason for the roses?" Abby asked when she finally came up for air. Tim shook his head and grinned.

"We're married, do I need a reason?" She rolled her eyes and was about to lean over and kiss him again when her stomach rumbled quietly. Tim laughed softly and pulled her closer then led her away in one smooth movement.

"Come on, why don't we invite Tony and Ziva for dinner? I'm sure they can hire a sitter for one night." Abby grinned.

"Sounds like a great idea! What are you in the mood for tonight?"

"Mexican sounds good," Tim said, willing to be agreeable tonight.

"It's a deal, then," Abby said, pecking him on the cheek. "I'll call Ziva." McGee watched her on the phone with a smile that never completely left his face. Finally, she hung up and started on dinner.

"Let's make tacos, then. Go see what's in the pantry, Tim." As they went through the familiar process of cooking together, Abby slowly started to grow more excited and restless, practically bouncing off the walls by the time Ziva and Tony made their arrival.

"I'm getting Rylan out of the nursery," McGee warned, leaving the kitchen. Ziva and Tony stepped into the living room, both feeling very comfortable in this place.

"Welcome to my humble abode!" Abby sang out, skipping into the room, her eyes shining with the excitement of having visitors. She hugged them fiercely and then went to go make sure everything was ready.

"Abby sure seems cheerful," Ziva commented.

"That's just Abby," Tony said dismissively. "Now, if you started acting like that...I'd be worried." Ziva rolled her eyes. McGee came out with Rylan, who was also in an especially good mood this evening.

"Come on, guys, dinner isn't serving itself," McGee said. Tony licked his lips when he saw Abby lay out the things for making tacos on the dining room table. Ziva couldn't help but smile at his expression. They all sat down to eat, and Abby thought her heart would burst from the feeling of them being together as a family.

"Are you crying?" Tim asked about halfway through dinner.

"I'm just so happy!" Abby wailed. McGee sighed. "I'm sorry, give me a minute." She left the room.

"That was strange, even for Abby," Tony said. Rylan let out a shriek from his high chair. Ziva took him out and started to play with him, having already finished her dinner.

"I'll go check on her." McGee went after Abby. Things were quiet as Ziva cuddled Rylan and Tony started clearing away dinner. No way they'd get back to eating now. Besides, he wasn't hungry anymore and he was certain that Probie and Abby would be done for tonight.

"I have a strange feeling," Ziva said as Rylan quieted down.

"Gut feeling?" Tony guessed, sitting back down next to her. She nodded. Rylan yawned, starting to get sleepy. "What sort of gut feeling? Good or bad?"

"Not sure," Ziva murmured. "I will let you know later." Tony gave her a strange look. First Abby, Now Ziva. Was the world losing its mind? Or maybe he was the crazy one...after all, he was married to an ex-Mossad NCIS agent. He smiled and shook his head. No way. Everything was probably fine. He was just overreacting. McGee and Abby returned to the dining room, both in a much better mood now.

"Sorry about that," Abby apologized. "I see you cleared the table, Tony. Who's up for dessert?"

"I don't see why not," Ziva said. Tony gaped at her.

"What? What is it?"

"You used a contraction!" he exclaimed. She sighed and ignored him. The remainder of the evening was uneventful. Dozens of cookies and shared stories later, however, Tony and Ziva had to get home.

"See you at work?" Abby asked. Ziva nodded and left the apartment. Tony was already gone. Abby sighed and went into the bedroom after she was gone. She started changing as McGee came in.

"Something wrong?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know," she said, staring at the sheets. Her coffin had never looked more inviting at the moment. "I'm just tired, I guess." But she just took a nap...barely two hours ago. It had been a long couple days, though. She decided to accept the excuse for now, since it was definitely true.

"Okay. I'll be right back, then." Alone again. She slumped against her pillow, instantly falling asleep.

**AN: Are we at 100K words yet? How about now? Now? Come on! SO CLOSE! WHY? I swear if it ends up reading 99, 999 words I'm going to punch in the computer screen beyond recognition.**


	51. Chapter 51

**AN: Okay, let me just say that 'Enemy on the Hill' was probably one of the best episodes of the season so far! I loved getting to learn more about Abby's past. I wonder if she will tell the other team members about this? I wanted to give her a huge hug at the end though! So sad! **

**AN 2: NEVER watch any part of a scary movie if you aren't good with horror in the first place. BAD IDEA! VREY BAD!**

The next morning, Abby found herself having a major staredown with the calendar. She was two weeks late, no question about it. The blood test had come up with nothing, though. _Maybe I'm just losing my mind...again._ She sighed, wondering why the idea was so much more upsetting than normal.

"Hey, Abs," Tony said, cracking a grin as he set down the box of evidence. Abby forced a smile, shoving away the depressing thoughts.

"Hi Tony. For what reason do you grace my presence this fine morning?" She leapt up and hugged him, hoping this would help her feel better. Unfortunately, she felt more like bursting into tears than smiling now. And she had no idea why. It was getting more difficult to control her emotions, almost as if she were a child.

"Dead body up in Steldon Naval Academy outside the city," Tony explained, nodding toward the box. "It was quite messy, so you'll be busy all day most likely." Abby was finding it hard to keep her smile genuine. Work, when she felt so miserable? How could she manage such a thing?

"I'll be down later to check on you. Gibbs wants me back up there. See you in a couple hours." Tony was gone. Abby set to having everything run for prints. As she waited for results, it was the loneliness that finally caused her to break down. Abby sobbed into hands, not knowing why she felt so lost. But just fifteen minutes later, she snapped out of the strange gloom and was able to focus on the task once more. The cheerfulness of being in the one place she loved started taking over.

"Darken Flaxen," she said, sensing Gibbs's presence. "No criminal records, unless you count that parking ticket from 1982 at the movie theater when he parked in a handicapped spot by mistake. This guy was seriously clean, well that is, he wasn't caught for anything. An interesting thing though. See the chemical levels in his bloodstream? There was no way he'd notice anyone attacking him. He was so drugged from cocaine I'm surprised he could see straight. He'd had to have some serious money stashed somewhere to get access to those drugs. Weird, though. Darken was a good kid. Why would he revert to the black market? Unless..."

"Somone drugged him," Gibbs supplied. "Good work, Abs. I'll be back later." The Caf-Pow! was put into her waiting hands, and he planted a loving kiss on her cheek, more fatherly than romantic though. Abby started sifting through the evidence, feeling much more like her bubbly self with caffeine coursing through her veins. As she came across Darken's cell phone, a pair of warm hands slid over her eyes.

"Guess who?" Minty breath tickled her nose. She fought a smile, but couldn't hide the blush that now tinged her cheeks.

"Timmy, Gibbs said to keep it out of the office..."

"Nonesense." She twisted around and gave him a brief kiss before returning to work. "I'm here to help you hack into that cell phone."

"You speak as if I've never been around such a simple piece of technology before, Agent McGee," Abby said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, Abigail...I suppose you don't want to know how last night was for me, then," he said snippily, catching onto her playfulness at once.

"Okay, you take care of the cell phone, then. I'll see what my baby Mass Spec has to say about this slimy stuff found in the ground." Her stomach flipped in the oddest of ways. At the moment, she decided to dismiss it. But, not long after sending the mystery slime for examination, she felt it again, much more urgent this time. It was more than just nausea. She was about to see her breakfast a second time.

"I'll be right back," Abby said, running out of the lab. She knew there was a bathroom on this floor nearby. How convenient that hardly anyone else besides her used it. She sprinted into the first stall and promptly emptied the contents of her stomach.

**NCIS**

Tim McGee loved his wife, and always knew when something was wrong with her. However, today, he was much too distracted by the strangeness of the case to pay much attention to the familiar symptoms Abby happened to be suffering from at the moment. She re-entered the lab and returned to work without saying a word, quite out of character.

"Do you think it will be lunch time soon?" she asked after over ten minutes.

"No idea, why?" Tim said, glancing at his phone for the time. It was barely nine in the morning. How unusual.

"I'm just in the mood for something involving strawberry icing," Abby said causally, as if something like this happened all the time.

"Okay then. I'll be right back." He pecked her on the cheek and left the lab. Happy at the prospect of having her needs satisfied, the next half hour passed by quickly.

**NCIS**

"Something was not right with Abby last night," Ziva said when Tony returned with coffee for the both of them. She gratefully accepted the cup and took a small sip of her new favorite brand. Sometimes, though, she enjoyed drinking tea like Ducky. Tony could always tell which beverage she was in the mood for even if she didn't say a word.

"Well, she seemed find this morning," Tony assured her. "Maybe she was just in a mood or something. Jethro did die a year and a half ago, you know." They were both silent, remembering how devastated Abby and McGee were when they saw Jethro cold and unmoving on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood. What had happened was that someone broke into McGee's apartment, and Jethro had tried to defend the area. Jethro bit at the intuder until they attacked him, shooting three rounds into his side. By that time, it was too late for the criminal. Jethro had given him enough injuries to slow him down. The cops came and arrested him. But, alas, there was nothing to be done about the poor German Shepard.

"I do not think that was what happened to be on her mind," Ziva disagreed. She had a feeling it was something else entirely. Tony rolled his eyes, not listening to her as usual. Well, she'd get to the bottom of things. They couldn't afford to have something else befall their forensic scientist, after all they've been through.

"Hey, what's that Probie's got?" Tony blurted as the elevator doors slid shut.

"What is it?"

"McGee had strawberry icing with him. No idea why. Is he throwing a party of some kind that I wasn't told about?"

"Why do you care so much about these little details?" Ziva muttered. "They are merely...irrelevent, yes?"

"If you say so," he replied in a singsong tone that grated at his wife's nerves at once. She glared at him and returned to work.

**NCIS**

"Ah, that's better," Abby moaned through a mouthful of pretzle and icing. McGee gave her a strange look, but otherwise didn't show any reaction to her behavior. He needed to focus on the case. Besides, Abby acted weird on a daily basis. Right now he had no time to determine if this was out of the ordinary. She continued munching at her snack, able to get back to work now that she had some sugar in her bloodstream once more.

"Get Gibbs in here...we've got another break in the case." McGee nodded and whipped out his cell phone. "Boss? You there? Abby's got something." She smiled at him, her lips covered in pink frosting.

"You've got something right about...there." He pressed his lips to hers, absorbing the strawberry flavor as much as was possible. Abby immediately responded, wrapping her armsa round his neck.

"Got something for me?" Gibbs inquired. They jumped apart, embarrassed to be busted in breaking the rules.

"Right. Major Mass Spec here spit out something interesting," Abby said, acting as if nothing had happened. "The slimy stuff is kind of gross, but cool at the same time, you know? Some of it is sap, just a little altered from the recent weather. But most of it is a form of a cycanoacrylate." Gibbs gave her a look that commanded her to make sense.

"I was about to explain," she continued, reading his mind. "It's an ahesive. And get this. Darken's body was found in the forest off campus, right? Well, I did a quick search of what was nearby, and...presto! A glue factory. Now we've got a location of the murder. Scene of the crime." She grinned at him.

"McGee, with me," Gibbs said.

"On your six," McGee said quickly, following him out. Abby smiled at the half empty container filled with icing. She attacked it with her plastic spoon, savoring the flavor. She didn't notice when Ziva walked in.

"Enjoying yourself?" Ziva asked smugly. Abby set aside the container with a sigh and collapsed into her chair. She felt tired all the sudden. It wasn't even noon.

"I got hungry," she said defensively.

"For sweets?" Ziva was genuinely curious. She shrugged in response, cuddling Bert in her lap.

"You have been acting strange.

"I'm not exactly normal, Ziva," Abby deadpanned. "Define strange."

"Yesterday you were overly emotional, even for you. I did not know what to make of it."

"I have no ideaa either, but it was definitely nothing completely insane, was it?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Good," Abby said with a smile. "So, is that all you wanted to talk to me about?"

"We cannot just have a chat?" Ziva asked in confusion. The forensic scientist chuckled, accidentally squeezing Bert a little too hard. He let out his customary noise in response, causing Ziva to crack a small smile. She never fully understood the toy, but she knew it made Abby happy. Suddenly, the woman paled and got to her feet.

"I feel sick." She ran out of the lab, a flash of white lab coat and black pigtails. Ziva gazed worriedly after her, starting to put the pieces together.


	52. Chapter 52

"Old Flaxen here was pretty well liked," Tony said, gazing at his computer screen. "Clean criminal record, good grades in high school and college...did you find anything, Ziva? Ziva?" He glanced over and found Ziva lost in thought, not really concentrating on her work. Jamie sat at her desk. Lately she had been a background character, occupied with giving her daughter home school assignment that she didn't have the heart in making for much longer. Jamie had been wanting to send Daniela to the public school her neighborhood friends went to.

"Zi, you okay?"

"Hmm?" She looked up at him, her eyes far away. He couldn't even tell what she was thinking about. "Oh, yes. I am fine, Tony. Do not worry." She returned to work as if nothing had happened. He gave her a suspicious glance before continuing his research. At that moment, the elevator doors opened. Daniela walked in, talking earnestly to some boy who looked to be about her age. Jewel came in a short time afterward, her arms full of paperwork. Her husband was right on her heels. Strangely enough, this event did not distract Ziva in the slightest. Tony looked up, wondering what was going on.

"I'll be going to a local private school next door. You can visit me if you want. It's a midde school and high school combined, just like yours, Nate," Daniela said to the boy.

"Why don't you just go to my school?"

"Because I need to go to a gifted school," she replied. Nate stared at her in shock while Tony and Ziva resumed their work, both lost in thought about different yet similar things.

**NCIS**

"You the owner of the factory?" McGee asked.

"Yeah? So?" the man shot back. He glared at the agent. McGee flipped out his badge.

"Speacial Agent McGee, NCIS, I'm here to ask a few questions. You are Mike Stelman, correct?"

"Yeah, that's me." Mike gazed suspiciously at him. "So what are you navy guys doing at my factory?"

"I need to take a look at your security tapes, but before I do, did you see anything unusual going on here during the past forty-eight hours?"

"Define unusual," Mike replied. "Lots of weird stuff happens around here."

"Like what?" McGee asked while Gibbs went off to search for the security room.

"Well, last month some dude came here asking about all the ingredients used in our glues and solvents. Got all up in my face too. I gave him the list just to make him shut up."

"Name?" McGee prompted politely.

"Uh...Sean or something like that. Last name is Makler."

"Alright, thank you for your time."

**NCIS**

Abby collapsed into her chair and tried to stem the pounding headache, all to no avail. The lights and noise bothered her immensely. Giving up on staying in the lab, she went off toward autopsy, hoping Ducky wouldn't mind her presence.

"Hello, Abigail," Ducky said pleasently. She smiled weakly at him.

"Hi," she whispered, blinking rapidly against the bright lights that only intensified her exhaustion. He instantly caught up on her mood.

"Is something wrong, my dear?"

"Just a headache," Abby muttered, rubbing her temples and wincing slightly. "Might be from all that caffiene I've been drinking recently." She sank into the closest chair and sighed. Ducky gazed at her worriedly.

"If I were you, I'd cut down on some of those Caf-Pows! you enjoy so much."

"Anything to stop the pounding in my head," she said agreeably. Something wasn't right here. Normally, Abby would fight tooth and nail for a Caf-Pow! and now she was willing to give them up like they meant nothing to her. He decided to let it go and keep an eye on her just in case anything else happened. Meanwhile, Abby felt particularly nauseous and miserable, on top of the intense headache. She decided not to mention it though, thinking it was nothing. She had work to do anyway. Before she could leave, though, Ducky put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you feeling alright?" She was almost afraid to open her mouth.

"Not really," she choked out. Her face was taking on a pale green tinge.

"Why don't I take you home and have Jewel take over your duties for today?" She nodded weakly, feeling tears sting her eyes as he led her out.

**NCIS**

McGee knocked very hard on the dorr with the number twelve. This was Sean's apartment, wasn't it? He surely hadn't been given the wrong address. Mike may have been a suspicious guy but he wouldn't lie to federal authorities.

"NCIS, open up!" he shouted. No response. He quickly picked the locked and kicked the door down. There was Sean, dead on the living room floor. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number 2.

"Yeah, Gibbs."

"Boss, we have another body."

"Give me the address. Be there in ten minutes."

**NCIS**

Ducky was literally seconds from reaching his car when he recieved the call about a new body. He looked at Abby apologetically, but she just shook her head and climbed into the van with Jimmy when he arrived. Exhaustion was marring any clear thought but she tried her best to rebel against the sensation as she mindlessly followed Ducky around.

"Abs, you've sort of been out of it for awhile now," McGee said worriedly.

"I'm just tired," she replied tonelessly, wandering around and not paying attention to details. Suddenly, the floor tilted out from under her as an unexpected wave of dizziness took over. The last thing she was aware of was soft hands lowering her gently to the floor.

**NCIS**

"Hello?" Jewel said uncertainly as she came out into MTRC. Nobody was there. It was completely empty. How unusual. Then again, she knew exactly where they were and why. Still, the silence was unsettling.

"Hey." She turned and saw Steve standing there. She glared at him. It was always him, wasn't it? Seeing the things he's done made Hades a completely irrelevent enemy. Or at least obselete.

"Where's my daughter?" she said coldly.

"Now, now," he replied gently. "What makes you think I know?"

"Because there's blood on the carpet and a half finished note from her begging for help. I turn my back for five minutes and you pull this stunt? What are you planning to accomplish?"

"Listen, your daughter is safe...for now. But its not me you should be worried about. Remember that when you find her." He slowly backed into the elevator, never breaking eye contact in that creepy sort of way.

"Screw you," Jewel muttered. "I'm going to find Daniela." She picked up the note and carefully read the single clue written there.

_Go Nate's favorite place...a mint chocolate chip delight! Come help!_

The torn bit of paper was splattered in specks of blood. Jewel sadly gazed at it. She didn't need forensics to know it was her daughter's. Five minutes. That is all it would take to rescue her. Five minutes. But that could make all the difference...she ran out into the Naval Yard, not bothering with her car.

"I'm coming for you," Jewel said out loud, as if saying the words could slow down time, or at least speed up her running. _Can't let this happen...again. Can't lose her._ She leapt over an obstacle that she barely even saw. Almost there. The ice cream shop was up ahead. She saw a large broken window in the distance. So much blood.

_'But its not me you should be worried about. Remember that when you find her.'_ She leapt through the window, allowing more shattered glass to uncerimonally tinkle to the floor in a singular, harsh sound. She found Daniela soaked in blood and unconscious, tied to a chair. What did Steve want with her? Why was she hurt?

**NCIS**

_'Its al in your memories.'_ Wait, what? Why was she thinking about that? Wasn't that from ages ago? Shouldn't this be irrelevent? Abby slipped back into a restless slumber, quickly forgetting these thoughts as if they had never happened. As far as she was concerned, they really never have.

"What's up with her?"

"She just is not well right now. I suppose the stress is getting to Abigail." Maybe all she needed was to...relax...

**NCIS**

"Hello? 911? My daughter's been hurt!" She tried not to panic, but there was just so much blood...it was hard to get the bleeding to stop. Jewel didn't give up, though.

"What is your location?" She gave the address, continuing to apply pressure to Daniela's injury.

**NCIS**

_Meanwhile, somewhere in the United States..._

A long time had gone by since Terence had last seen Abby, but that didn't mean she wasn't in his thoughts.

"Was she found?"

"Yes."

"Perfect. Go to DC, now."

"I still don't understand why we're doing this."

"You don't have to. Just do as I say, and you'll have a chance to perform your revenge for what happened that Thanksgiving Day. I take it that it was all Abby's fault?" Terence frowned upon hearing that. Why was this contantly brought up? He didn't want revenge...did he? Thinking just made things too confusing, so he decided to act, and not think at all. Steve may do as he pleased, but whether Terence obeyed or not he'd get the revenge needed.

"Watch out Abby...family reunion is about to have a whole new meaning." He grinned mischieviously.

**AN: Hmm...a lot going on at once. But I'm trying my best at continuity. Like I said, nothing is as it seems.**


	53. Chapter 53

**AN: Sorry for my long absence but I hope this chapter makes up for things...doing a time jump to move things along, hope you guys don't mind.**

**Abby: Enough with your excuses...**

During the next two weeks, things started to calm down for the NCIS gang. Daniela was still recovering from her injury and was forced to stay home from school. Nate visited her every day. Abby, at this point had figured out the symptoms, but kept quiet about them anyway to see who would be first to know without her saying a thing. Steve and Terence, it seemed, appeared to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Vance, getting frustrated, decided to give up on the case for now. There were more important matters to deal with at the moment.

Meanwhile, Ziva had the problem of her youngest triplet Jane. Some of her teeth had grown in, but she had yet to hit the next major milestone other children had managed with no problem: sitting up and supporting herself. It appeared that no matter what was to be done, she was always a few steps behind the others.

"She'll be fine," Tony said once Ziva had brought up the topic over the phone while he was out getting pizza. "You know, Einstein didn't say a word until he was six. I'm pretty sure he had a lot of smart thoughts he needed to process before saying all of them at once."

"I would feel better if we saw Dr. Austin tomorrow," Ziva insisted. She hung up and looked at her three sleeping children. Just yesterday, it seemed she had given birth to Taliah and Maria. Jane, unfortunately, had been a problem from her very birth. She had taken the longest in labor, spent more time than the other two in NICU, and simply rebelled in every way possible. Her personality was more fierce than Maria, who happened to be a very vocal one out of the triplets. Thankfully Taliah was a quiet and well behaved child. She complied with every solid food without complaint, unlike Jane. Maria, though better with eating, usually would scrunch up her button shaped nose when presented with squash, bananas, or green beans. It was difficult most of the time to tell them all apart, so Ziva had them wear different colored jumpers so as to tell them apart. Jane wore yellow most of the time, Maria wore pink, and Taliah was usually seen in blue.

Today was Saturday, so Ziva didn't have to worry about going into work. She enjoyed having a little time to relax after all the craziness that went on at NCIS throughout the week. Currently, Daniela was in a situation with Nate, unsure whether he felt the same way about her now that she confessed her feelings to him in front of everyone in the heat of the moment today. She decided to check up on Jane, just for something to do. Ziva sighed and trudged into the nusery. Maria and Taliah were both fast asleep, unaware of their mother's presence. But Jane, on the other hand, was wide awake. But the unusual part was suddenly, she was sitting up, as if she had always done it. Her face lit up with a smile as she caught sight of Ziva, and she laughed.

"Jane..." Sometimes the smallest miracles were the most enjoyable ones. Ziva picked up the youngest triplet and carried her out into the living room to wait for Tony.

**NCIS**

"I'm sorry," Daniela blurted when Nate had come back into the room. It was not long after physical therapy, and her favorite television show was on. "I don't know what I was thinking earlier today. Sometimes my brain shuts off, and my mouth says things I know that I'll end up regretting later, so I don't know about you, but maybe we should pretend that nothing happened. It seems like the only good plan to me-"

"Relax," Nate interrupted, speaking for the first time since she had made her confession. She stopped talking at once and gazed at him curiously. For as long as she had known him, he never had that look on his face.

"I've been thinking about what you said," Nate continued after a silence. "I wasn't sure how I felt. So I took a walk outside and did some watching." He loved bird watching, and spent a great deal of his time pointing out a new kind of bird to Daniela almost every day. "These two doves came down, a male and a female. They picked at one another's feathers and flew away into a nearby tree. That was when I realized everyone needs someone, even birds. I'm willing to give you a try. We've become pretty good friends recently and you really need someone to be there for you after all you've been through." Daniela looked ready to answer, but Nate just cut her off once again, his face very serious.

"One step at a time, okay? I've never done anything like this before."

"Okay," she said quietly.

**NCIS**

"Have you ever heard of Metallica?" Adien asked Stacey casually that evening on their way to visit Daniela.

"Duh!" Stacey said. "But I don't like them all that much. I prefer Katy Perry or Demi Lovato. They're pretty great once you really hear their music." Adien realized then he had grown up on country and latina music, not rock or pop or hip hop. It probably didn't matter all that much anyway what sort of music he had heard of. He decided to let it go. Everyone had their own preferences. Besides, there were other things to deal with right now.

**NCIS**

"Aya!" Rylan cried out happily at his high chair. Abby had been trying to wean him off the bottle now that he started teething, with mixed results. Almost-five-month old Rylan only ate certian solids, such as bananas or grapes, but refused to put anything else in his mouth. Only a couple teeth had truly grown in, so this came as no surprise to the newly married couple as they ate their own meal of clam chowder and salad. Abby moodily picked at her meal all evening, not saying much. She felt tired again, and a headache was making itself known much worse than usual. This was the third night in a row this had happened. Tim had already suggested she go to the doctor about it, but she blatanly refused.

"I'm going to bed," Abby said finally, making the long trek to the bedroom they shared with Rylan. Having their only son sleep in the same room made response times to when he woke up that much faster. Tim was left to get Rylan out of his high chair and put him down for a nap as well.

"What am I going to do with you, Abs?" Tim sighed. Rylan started fussing, growing tired since it was getting close to his nap time.

**NCIS**

"Everything set up?" Steve asked without looking away from his mathmatical notes. Terence huffed in reply, choosing to remain silent. It was too late to back out, but after having flashbacks of a much younger Abby, so sweet and harmless, he started having second thoughts about murder. He wasn't a killer. Perhaps he had held onto his anger for much too long. But if he didn't do it, Steve would for sure.

"Alright...Abby is in her apartment-"

"I don't want this," Terence said without thinking.

"Excuse me?" Steve looked at him increduously.

"You heard me. This is a little unnecessary. So what if Hades was killed. He was a crazy old nut anway, he deserved it, and frankly, Abby didn't do anything to you to earn this fate. So take your pretty inherited toys and find something else to do with your life." Terence walked off without another word.


	54. Chapter 54

**Me: La dee da! My muse is back once more! Who wants to celebrate?**

**Gibbs: ...**

**Abby: ...**

**Ziva: ...**

**Tony: I DO!**

**McGee: Ugh...**

**Disclaimer: Do I LOOK like a television producer/writer to you? I didn't think so.**

"You need to relax," McGee insisted, offering the caffinated drink. It was Monday afternoon and things were going slow at NCIS. Abby shook her head and opened that game her husband used to play all the time before life got hectic and unpredictable-well, more unpredictable than it is now anyway.

"McGee, don't," Abby mumbled, searching her purse for some pills Ducky gave her last night that would abate some of the morning sickness, which had gotten more serious recently. Just as she got the pill bottle open, McGee suddenly grabbed her arm, causing white tablets to go flying everywhere onto the floor. Abby looked up in shock. Green on green. Soft on hard. Simple on complicated. What the...? She shook her head, clearing it.

"Are you pregnant?" he said accusingly.

"Tim-"

"Answer the question." The look in his face was frightening.

"I-I..." This was not how she wanted things to turn out. She wanted the news to make him happy, not angry. Or was it scared? She couldn't quite read the expression he now wore. The secrecy of her pregnancy definitely wasn't going well.

"What if I was?" she found herself asking.

"Then I won't find the need to drag you to a doctor and find out if you have cancer or something."

"Yes, I'm pregnant," Abby said. "Please, don't scare me like that. For a second, I thought you were going to-"

"Hurt you?" he finished, letting go of her arm and cleaning up the mess. "Abs, I'd never do that. You know that." She nodded, temproarily forgetting about memories of Hades and Steve and the curious matter of her cousin. The Caf-Pow! sat on the table to be hidden away later.

"I'm sorry I scared you earlier," McGee whispered some minutes later, pulling her closer to him. Abby felt a little thrill of relief tremble somewhere deep down. Yes, this was what she needed, the support. It didn't matter that Jewel was looking after their son, among with Ziva's triplets. At least not right now it didn't.

"We're having another baby," Abby murmured happily as McGee fiercely pressed his lips to hers.

"Keep it out of the office," a voice said. Abby rolled her eyes.

"Tony," McGee whined. "Can't we have a few minutes to ourselves?"

"Nope," he replied popping the 'p' obnoxiously in a classic Dinozzo way. "Listen, boss says to gear up, come on Probsters. I'm driving." He dangled the keys and grinned. "Hurry before Ziva claims shot gun again." McGee groaned, but followed him out, but not before tossing one lat desperate glance toward his very amused wife.

"Go," she mouthed, and then he was gone. She hid the Caf-Pow! before Gibbs could come in here and suspect things were different.

**NCIS**

"...that, of course, ended our relationship," Ducky added thoughtfully before realizing nobody was listening to him. "Time of death was approximately two and half hours ago. Now, Jethro, the cause of death is actually quite interesting of you must know-"

"Get on with it," Gibbs sighed, but inwardly smiled at his friend's endless supplies of tales. He had a story for every situation, and there were even stories for those stories. Ducky went on with a long technical explanation of what caused Denman's death, but Gibbs wasn't listening. He was more focused on McGee, who on the surface appeared to be normal. But as he walked away from the witnesses, there was a general air of distraction around him. Gibbs didn't like it when something was wrong. The silver haired man was determined to find out what was wrong with McGee, even if it meant dragging this case along like it meant nothing. Truly, the case wasn't all that important anyway. It was a general, easy to solve mystery they've done a dozen times over.

"Dinozzo," Gibbs barked, causing Tony to jump. "Help Ziva out with sweeiping the crime scene. Enough pictures for now. McGee, front and center." The ex-Probie obeyed at once, exuding more confidence than Gibbs had expected out of him. Then again, McGee had come a long way since his nervous, suttering Probie days all those years ago.

"Yes, boss?"

"There something you want to tell me?" He had glanced at his phone in the car. Abby made him promise to keep the pregnancy a secret for now, because she wanted everyone to find out naturally. Of course, given the circumstances Rylan had been concieved, it was only natural for her to want such a thing. She didn't want more attention than was necessary on her pregnancy. He could give her that much at least.

"No, sir."

"Alright, then." Gibbs nodded, though McGee looked strangely gaurded for some reason. He decided to let it go. For now. He'll find out eventually what was wrong with the young agent.

**NCIS**

"Yes!" Daniela crowed as they left the hospital. At long, long last, she was free! She asked her mother if she could go off with Nate on her date. Jewel quickly agreed, but Adien was strangely quiet as she ran off to where her best friend waited. Lately nobody had heard anything from Stacey, which Daniela found odd but didn't mention.

"What's wrong?" Jewel asked.

"We have not been married long and already our daughter is growing up," Adien said. "I want us to raise a child from scratch."

"I've...thought about that too," she said quietly. "And I think you're right. You are my husband now and you need that sense of fatherliness in raising a little girl, not an almost teenager. I'm up to it at any time."

"What about right now?" Adien slurred.

"The children are in the car!" Jewel protested. She had the liberty of watching Abby's son Rylan and Ziva's triplets Taliah, Maria, and Jane. All four of them proved to be a handful, but she was still getting used to this routine of having the babies throughout the day until they were old enough to be put in a day care.

"Alright, then," Adien sighed regretfully. Daniela and Nate walked off to a nearby ice cream store, oblivious to their surroundings. Jewel let down her gaurd as well, not noticing a shadow slip into a car that was suspiciously close to the MCRT's car used for transport between crime scenes.

**NCIS**

"I want shotgun!" Tony whined as the trio headed for the car.

"You already drove," Ziva said simply. "Now it is my turn and Tim deserves a chance in the passenger seat."

"Boss!" Tony called. "Who deserves to have shotgun, me or McGoodyTwoShoes over there?"

"Ziva," Gibbs replied. "I'm driving, you have shotgun."

"What?" McGee clambered into the back, uncomplaining as always. He didn't care where he sat in the car as long as it didn't end up causing any disasters. He hoped that Abby was doing well without him.

"Why so quiet?" Tony asked as Gibbs started the car. McGee just shrugged.

"Worried about Abby," he said finally. It was an honest answer that didn't reveal a thing. Tony nodded in understanding and let the subject drop after that.

"We're being followed," Ziva said after a time. Gibbs allowed an inconscpicious glance at the rearview mirror. For the past several miles, a dark mini van was behind them, not taking any other turns or side roads.

"Got your gun?" he murmured. Ziva nodded ever so slightly, as if they were being watched. "Good. Keep it handy." Gibbs suddenly spun the wheel, sending them all off into the grassy ditch off to their immediate right as the mini van sped along, roaring right past them.

**NCIS**

Jimmy Palmer strolled into the lab and strangely found it empty. He had some important news to tell Abby, but couldn't find her for some reason. She was always in here, and when she wasn't something was wrong. He stood there for a minute, confused. Maybe he just didn't see her. He looked around once more, calling her name. There was no sound but the music that was always played in here. He tried to calm his nervously thrumming heart, but Michelle...she would be disappointed if he didn't do as was asked. Abby wanted to be the first to know everything.

"Oh, hi Jimmy!" Abby said in the doorway. "Was there something you needed?" Jimmy turned to look at her. Something had been different lately. He couldn't tell what. He shook his head, forgetting the news. It suddenly didn't seem so important anymore.

"I'll-I'll just go," he stuttered, leaving the lab. "Sorry to bother you." Something was different all right, and he was going to find out.

**NCIS**

"Report," Gibbs said gruffly, hiding back a cough from their crash landing. He had oh so smoothly crashed the lovely dark blue 2007 Mercedes into a silo that belonged to a barn. Just their luck, this silo was filled with grain, and the whole front was buried in the stuff.

"I'm fine," Ziva called out, trying to get the door open, but finding there was so much grain in the way it was like trying to open a brick wall. She settled with shooting the window, causing glass to fly everywhere, but at least there was a way out. Gibbs easily ducked under the deadly sharp edges of what was left of the right window. Tony rolled his eyes and opened his own door with ease. The silo had also landed onto the roof and rolled off., causing a large dent on McGee's side.

"I'm great," Tony said as he helped his wife out of the car. McGee quietly echoed him and also stepped out of the vehicle. Gibbs checked under the hood, after removing all the infernal grain of course, and discovered the engine to be too smashed for any sort of repair.

"Looks like we're walking," Gibbs announced. "It's a good ten miles east from here." Tony groaned and Ziva commanded him to be quiet or she was making him carry her the whole way there.

**NCIS**

"Have you noticed anything different about Abby?" Jimmy asked later on in autopsy. Everything was prepared to begin the all-too-familiar process.

"Not exactly," Ducky answered, but even as he said it he remembered that day Abby had fallen ill so suddenly. Then again, perhaps what Jimmy had to say was unrelated to that moment.

"Are you sure?"

"No," Ducky said honestly. "Abigail did fall ill one day a couple weeks ago but did not tell me the possible cause of her sickness. I would have questioned her about it at the time, but unfortunately at the same time we got a case that was rather unexpected."

"I hope she isn't sick or something," Jimmy continued, thinking of all the reports he had heard of Abby running our of her lab unexpectedly.

"I hope so as well, Palmer. Now, we need to get started on this autopsy. Jethro should be back soon, with the way he drives sometimes. I remember last week..." Ducky continued on with his story with much enthusiasum as a temporary distraction from the possibly worry that something could be wrong with Abby.

**NCIS**

Meanwhile, Abby was alone in her lab, missing Rylan but not wanting to complain to even Bert who was the greatest listener of all next to Gibbs. But Gibbs wasn't here. He usually was back by now, but something was wrong. She turned to leave the lab, feeling another round of morning sickness. She stopped suddenly when she saw Steve standing there. Nausea forgotten, she stared at him in shock. His presence was of no concern, but the gun pointing at her gut was certainly something to be afraid of, though she did her best not to show it.

"What...what are you doing here?" Abby asked breathlessly as the bout of nausea began to pass.

"I came to end this," Steve said, his eyes boring into hers. "I came for...revenge."

"Hades?" He nodded.

"I don't want you to die, but Hades was my friend-"

"But you never knew the real Hades," Abby argued. "He was completely crazy and a sadist on top of that. That is never a good mix." Steve shook his head, starting to get angry.

"He wasn't crazy!" Steve insisted, sounding like a child in denial about Santa Claus not being real after all.

"Oh really? Would you call someone who enjoys every scream, every moment that blood flowed to the ground, every tear, normal?" she asked in a low voice. Steve continued shaking his head, refusing to believe it, but realiazation began to dawn. The gun shook, but otherwise showed no sign of being lowered.

"But, but-the notebook-the...I-" Steve sounded close to tears now. _Show no pity, _Abby thought. _He plans to kill you eventually. And then you'll lose Rylan, the unborn child, and McGee forever, in permenant darkness..._

"You're going to die." That she knew. Abby thought fast. The Caf-Pow! still sat in her mini fridge, but it was all the way across the lab. She backed up toward it, remaining steady eye contact and not changing her expression in the slightest.

"Where are you going?" he demanded, narrowing his eyes.

"I'm just getting a drink," Abby replied honestly. Omitting a part of the truth was the most effective way to lie to someone without seeming suspicious. She reached behind her, the fridge now open along with the drink.

"Go on, drink it!" Steve demanded. "Have a little fun in your last moments on earth!" His hand was shaking violently. He didn't want to be a killer. Abby tossed the Caf-Pow! in his face, reminded of the time she got an assistant in her lab once upon a time. She found some rope, which came quite handy in tying him to the table leg very tightly.

"You can do whatever you want to me," Abby said, looking down at him, "but _never_ hurt my unborn child."


	55. Chapter 55

Ducky ran into the lab and found Steve tied to a table leg, his face soaked in a familiar cherry flavored beverage. Abby stepped away from her handiwork and looked up at the medical examiner.

"Is Gibbs back yet?" she asked casually. "I think I can handle only so many criminals on my own." Steve glared at her, but she ignored him.

"Oh, Abigail..." Ducky led her out of the lab, hoping she wasn't injured. She remained oddly quiet the whole way down to autopsy, barely acknoledging Jimmy's presence when they arrived.

"Where's Gibbs?" she demanded some time later.

"I don't know."

"I'd like to know where he is, and my husband too! Do you have any idea what it's like to not know-"

"Calm down," Gibbs interrupted, appearing behind her. Abby spun around and gasped in shock. Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, and Tim all looked dirty and exhusted, as if they had walked a very long way.

"Lost the evidence," Tony said. "Some idiot in a dark blue minivan tried to run us down and we slammed into the silo, which slammed back like the Whomping Willow."

"You mean the one from _Harry Potter_?" Ziva asked. McGee tried his hardest to keep a neutral expression. Abby pulled McGee into a hug first, then Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva.

"I was so worried!"

"Yeah, I can tell," Tony snorted. Gibbs gave him a look.

"Oh, by the way you have a little surprise waiting for you down in my lab," she added. "I'll be right back." She ran off, giving McGee a knowing look.

"That was strange," Tony commented. He shrugged and turned to Ziva.

"I just heard from Jewel before we came here. She'll be back with our kids and Abby's son in half an hour. Apparently, Daniela had a little date with Nate earlier today while we were on our little excursion on the farm."

"That sounds fine," Ziva replied. "I do miss holding each of my children. Have you seen Jane sit up at all?"

"Actually, she's started creeping," Tony said with a huge grin on his face. During all of this, Ducky noticed McGee quietly slip away. Gibbs didn't appear to be aware of it, but then again, it was hard to read the man most of the time, and that was on a good day. Ducky frowned, but did not mention what he saw.

"Dr. Mallard, since they didn't bring back the evidence, what are we supposed to do?" Palmer piped up.

"What, indeed," Vance said. "Gibbs, come with me." The silver haired man went off without complaint.

"I'll take care of Abby's...surprise in the lab." Jimmy muttered something about his wife and left as well. Tony was gone seconds afterward, leaving Ziva alone with Ducky.

"I trust that I am not the only one who has noticed something different about Abby," Ziva started cautiously. Ducky looked at her curiously.

"You are not wrong, my dear. What have you noticed?"

"Mood swings, such as the other night at dinner. Then there was her sudden request from Tim." She relayed everything that she knew had occured that day. "Honestly, I'm not sure how Tim doesn't notice what's going on, let alone Abby herself."

"I'm sure you and I both know of her current condition," Ducky said suggestively. The clues all came together and suddenly it dawned on Ziva exactly what secret Abby had managed to keep for who knows how long.

"I've got to hand it to her," Ducky continued happily. "That girl has learned the art of keeping a secret."

"Rule four," Ziva said, nodding in understanding. "What I can't believe is that Gibbs hasn't had that conversation with her again the second he found out."

"Perhaps he has not." Ducky looked thoughtful. "You may think Jethro knows all but in fact that is not true. He happens to have excellent observation and absorption skills. Then there's the matter of his years of experience and remarkable memory, save for the explosion several years ago that brought him into a coma for a week, as we both are aware of. Jethro is merely a man when you come down to it. Perhaps his mind has been elsewhere lately, such as a certain lost redhead whom we dearly miss. Do you know what today is?"

"Of course, " Ziva said softly. "How could I forget? I was planning to visit her grave later today with Tony and the triplets. It would be good for them to know about a Director that can never be replaced." With that, she turned and went off to the bull pen, her thoughts far away from the prospect of Abby having another child and instead focused on her plans for this evening.

**NCIS**

Tony wandered into Abby's lab, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary except for some cut ropes, an empty Caf-Pow! and spilled Caf-Pow! on the floor. He looked up and saw Steve was half out of the already broken window. Shards of bloody glass littered the floor. Tony made no hesitation in whipping out his gun and pointing it up at Steve.

"NCIS, get down here now!" he yelled. Steve dropped to the floor in surprise, groaning in pain upon his landing. Tony wondered whether he should just shoot the man or bring him in for interrogation. Then again, he actually hadn't done anything incriminating yet, so it probably would be smarter to do the latter.

"You're coming with me," Tony said firmly.

**NCIS**

"I hate this part of being pregnant," Abby grumbled as she left the restroom with her husband. "I'd like to actually be able to eat something for once."

"It'll all be over soon," Tim said, trying to reassure her. "Before you know it, we'll be introducing Rylan to his new baby brother or sister." Abby managed a small smile, though she was still feeling the after effects of morning sickness. She tried her best not to let it get to her, though. They came into the bullpen and saw Ziva trying to feed her three children. Jewel was currently playing with Rylan. She looked up when they came in.

"Abby, so good to see you!" she enthused. "Here you go, little guy. Your mommy's here." She took Rylan from Jewel, automatically placing him in her arms properly.

"Thank you for watching him," Abby said. "Things get pretty crazy around here..."

"I know," Jewel said, laughing slightly. "I remember over the weekend that Tony had come over asking if I had ordered that pinapple pizza from last night. As it turns out, he was terribly drunk. Ziva had to come over and collect him. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have known what to do. He does very strange things when he's drunk..." Jewel trailed off wistfully.

"That really isn't what I was talking about." Abby frowned. "But that's a pretty funny story! You'll have to go into more detail later about that." She leaned into McGee, feeling slightly dizzy. She handed off the baby to him and went to sit at Tony's desk in an attempt to hide her sudden vertigo sensation. Ziva glanced at her but otherwise gave no sign that she knew what was going on.

"So, where's Daniela and Adien?" McGee asked Jewel, changing the subject. She suddenly got a sad, regretful look in her eyes.

"At home," she replied softly. "Adien got laid off a couple weeks ago, and he's having a hard time finding a job."

"That's terrible," Abby cried out. "I hope he finds another job."

"Me too," Jewel murmured, mostly to herself.

_Meanwhile, in interrogation room seven..._

Steve blinked when the light clicked on. Anthony Dinozzo Junior sat down across from him, looking uncharacteristicly serious. It was unnerving to see no expression on this man's face.

"So," Tony said, gazing steadily at Steve. "What brings you so unexpectedly by NCIS? Unexpectedly enough, in fact, to have you arrested not only for trespassing, but destruction of federal property." Steve knew what was coming: a round of questions that would point to his purpose and overall land him in jail. Even if he lied, they'd catch him eventually. There was just no running anymore. Besides, at least there he would be alive. So he told Tony everything, not leaving out a single detail. From a nice, safe cell he could plan his revenge. And this time he knew who to kill. Tony was the one who fired the gun, not Abby, according to his sources.

"You're under arrest for..." The list went on and on. Steve ignored it. The handcuffs weren't so bad. Maybe he _should_ rot in jail just out of spite.

**NCIS**

"I understand you have lost track of the evidence of our most recent case," Vance said. Gibbs remained silent, predictably. "Would you care to explain what happened, exactly?" He sat down at his desk. Instead of Gibbs providing short, clipped sentences, he told Vance everything that had happened earlier that day.

"We also caught a security breach in the building not too long ago. Looks like Abby and Dinozzo detained Steve properly, though. He'll be behind bars for some time now." Gibbs stared in shock. When had this happened? Why wasn't he told about this sooner? He remembered Abby saying something about a surprise in her lab...he should've paid more attention to what was meant behind the words.

"Is that it, then?" Gibbs asked. "What about the evidence?"

"I had Fornell's team go take a look at your described crash site for any remains...some evidence is better than none. I take it that Ducky finally got the body from the FBI after having it examined?"

"There was a delay for some reason," Gibbs noted. "I'll have Ziva look into that."

"Well, there are some aspects that aren't in your field, Gibbs. He may be a Marine, but that's the only reason you even have this case."

"The victim is a woman," Gibbs stated gruffly.

"I see. Well, if Fornell doesn't come up with anything, you and the FBI are going back to the crime scene. If nothing else remains, you're explaining this to SecNav Wednesday in MTAC."

**AN: Ooh, Ziva and Ducky know Abby's secret now! Who should be next to find out?**


	56. Chapter 56

**Warning: not all medical stuff may be one hundred percent accurate**

Two more weeks passed by uneventfully. Rylan turned five months old. Jane, Maria, and Taliah turned seven months old. Being three months along in her second pregnancy, it still wasn't difficult for Abby to hide the physical aspect of things. However, her morning sickness was getting out of control-not as much as with Rylan, but it was still hard for her to get enough to eat during the day. Gibbs, of course, figured out what was wrong in just seconds one morning before a case came in. Tony, Jewel, Adien, and Daniela were all still clueless, though.

Abby was getting tired of not mentioning anything to Tony, though. Besides, she found herself emptying the contents of her stomach into his trash can just as he walked in anyway. The game was up.

"Aw, really?" Tony moaned. "You really need to see a doctor about this." He helped her up as soon as she could breathe.

"Tony, I'm seeing a doctor next month," Abby said, stressing the word 'month' as much as she could. Tony's eyes widened.

"How long?" he exclaimed.

"Three months."

"Jeez, how did I not notice? Tell me I'm not the last to know."

"Jewel doesn't have a clue yet, and the same goes for her husband and daughter."

"By the way, Steve's in jail now so you can-"

"No he's not," Gibbs interrupted. "Broke out last night. Go interview the inmates to see if they know anything." Tony sighed and obeyed at once. Abby drifted off down to her lab to tell McGee that Tony knew the truth.

**NCIS**

Time seemed like it was speeding up. By the time Rylan was able to start crawling, Ziva and Tony's triplets were walking, talking, and changing. Abby wasn't sure this was a good thing or not, so she made no comment on the situation. Being in the third trimester of her pregnancy, it was nearly time for her to give up work again.

"Abs..." She looked up.

"Where have you been?" she asked coolly. Tim had been out for over six hours. It was well past midnight.

"I'm sorry, but..." He slid to the floor. It took Abby several moments to register that the carpet was soaked in blood, and even longer to realize who exactly was injured. Slowly, as if she was in a dream, she dialed 911. After that she called Gibbs, then dropped to the floor to try and save her husband before it was too late. It was like she was on autopilot, going through the motions but not exactly registering them. Someone took Rylan. She didn't remember, but at the time she didn't care. All she saw was Tim's face getting paler by the minute as he was loaded up into the ambulance.

"Here is your child, ma'm," an EMT said, handing over the bundle. Abby robotically took Rylan and comforted him without realizing what she was doing.

"Do you know anything that happened?" Tony asked worriedly.

"No," Abby said dully. "I don't want to talk right now. Let's get to the hospital."

"I have some new pictures of the girls," Tony said hopefully, changing the subject. "Maybe you'd like to take a look along the way?" Abby nodded excitedly, forgetting about McGee for the moment. She gazed at the photos, noticing that Taliah, Maria, and Jane were fraternal triplets, meaning they all looked completely different even though they were born at the same time. Taliah looked vaguely like Ziva, with inquisitive dark eyes, dark skin, and dark eyes. Well, maybe it was more than vaguely then. Maria seemed like the daddy's girl sort of daughter. She took on Tony's wild personality, but surprised everyone by being a redhead rather than brunette like her parents. Ziva had spent weeks searching through her family histroy for any instances of redheads, but found hardly anything. Eventually she had to conclude that it was a rare recessive gene. Jane was another matter all together. She looked like her mother a little bit, and she saw some of Tony in the infant's face, but...she was so completely different from the others it was hard to believe she was related to them.

"We're here," Tony stated.

"Where was Tim earlier tonight?" Abby asked calmly as they entered the hospital to prepare threatening the doctors for information, the usual routine.

"We caught a lead about Steve's location. He got shot by some teenager fooling around...the local police is considering on arresting him since he is eighteen...but it's still on debate right now." She felt calm. A little too calm, considering the current situation. She didn't notice the time passing, as life had been her a lot recently. It was as if someone was continually pressing fast forward, causing everything to blend together.

"How is he?" Tony asked when a doctor finally came to see them.

"He is alive, if that's what you're asking," the woman replied. "Thankfully, the bullet didn't hit any major organs or nerves. We were able to remove it from Agent McGee's ribcage quite smoothly. He lost a lot of blood, but was replenished completely a few minutes ago. I will take you to his room now." Abby's eyes rolled back in her head at the word 'alive' and by the time the doctor turned around, everything had faded away and she sank to the floor. She was vaguely aware of Tony's strong hands catching her.

**NCIS**

"I can't believe we were this close," Gibbs muttered as he barrelled into the hopsital.

"It does seem like an unfortunate coincidence," Ducky agreed dryly, hot on his friend's heels. The white walls and medical smells did not bother him. He was quite used to them. That on top of the lingering sense of death were all just background distractions for the ME.

"Least he's not dead," GIbbs grumbled quietly. "I'd have to kill him if that happened."

"Jethro," Ducky admonished. "You know that's not possible."

"If Ziva can survive with three one year old triplets, I'm sure resurrection is not far out of reach."

"You're starting to sound like Tony."

"Hell just froze over." Gibbs smirked at Ducky. The medical examiner laughed, a slightly shocked look on his face. Leroy Jethro Gibbs never failed to surprise him, and he had studied psychology too. Perhaps that was why their friendship worked out so well. The man who claimed to have 'seen it all' is still given shock after shock from Gibbs.

**NCIS**

Steve lay low in the hospital. His hired man had missed the required target. Now this time he wouldn't miss. Just a little longer...Tony passed by far too quickly. Steve cursed under his breath.

"Did you see something, Abby?"

"Nope. I wish you wouldn't be so paranoid." Steve cursed again, accidentally pulling the trigger. The last thing he registered was impossible pain exploding in his skull.

**NCIS**

Abby came to a sudden halt. She spun around to see Steve dead on the ground, a bullet in his forehead and blood pooling on the floor.

"Guess you were right." She fainted for the second time that day. And, once again, Tony had to catch her before she could harm the still unnamed baby. Gibbs and Ducky caught up to them, both catching sight of an unconscious Abby, dead Steve, and shocked Tony.

"Boss, could you help me out here?" the senior agent gasped. "She's kind of heavy."

"What happened?" Ducky asked.

"Not sure...I think Steve was pointing his gun the wrong way by accident. Looks like stupidity can kill after all." Tony snorted, thinking of several badly done zombie movies that weren't even all that scary.

"Have Jewel watch your kids. Call Ziva in to process the scene. Duck, do your thing." Gibbs sweeped off toward McGee's room without missing a beat. Abby woke up and glanced up apologetically at Tony as he made sure she was alright before obeying orders. Gibbs didn't normally forget about Abby, not unless something was wrong. Something told him that his boss didn't want things to go down this messily. Why was it that every time he thought it was over, it really wasn't?

**NCIS**

"Hey, Probsters," Tony said with a jovial smile on his face. Abby clung onto him as she observed the condition of her husband. He was in a coma, and showed no sign of leaving it any time soon. "Abby's here to visit." He left her to be alone.

"Hi, Tim," Abby said softly. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow...we get to find out the sex of the baby." No reaction. "We've already got a great son starting to grow up. Nine months old, can you believe it? He's got your hair and your eyes, and hopefully your brain. Next thing you know we'll be sending him off to preschool and kindergarten..." Her voice trailed off as she thought of the future. Time was passing too quickly. She wanted the _right now_, here in her arms. But time was not listening to her, as if it was saying the right now wasn't important, but the fugure she should be focusing on.

**NCIS**

_'Are you sure this is the right spot?' Tim asked, looking around. They had been on a stakeout for over five hours, just for Tony to have some weird hunch based on a movie. Of course._

_'Have I ever let you down?' Tim gave him a look._

_'Alright, point taken. Just trust me on this. I wouldn't do this to intentionally get you killed. Humiliated, maybe but not hurt or killed.'_

_'Fine...but where-' There was the familiar sound of a gunshot. Before Tim could even register what had happened, blood poured out from his gut onto the ground._

_'Uh...Tony...that's a lot of blood.' Duh, Captian Obvious._

_'You'll be fine,' Tony said. 'Just tell Abby that it's a scratch.' But on the inside he was panicking. He didn't want to deal with this. He didn't want his friend to end up hurt. But it happened and it was all his fault. He should've been paying attention. He should have tried harder to protect McGee._

**NCIS**

"Abby, he will be there in the morning. Come on, you have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. Tim wouldn't want you to miss it."

"No," she groaned, ignoring Tony's logic. She was too tired to move.

"I can't carry you."

"Because I'm fat," Abby grumbled triedly. "I know, stop reminding me."

"Anyone who has a baby inside them is bound to be a little larger at some point." Abby stumbled to her feet and allowed herself to be lead away.

"Where's my baby?" she asked.

"Don't you worry about that...I got it all taken care of." Suddenly, Abby sat up. Her eyes were wide open.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." She remained strangely quiet the whole way back, not even acting surprised when she found out that Palmer had Rylan this whole time. That night she remembered there was a difference between what she had felt and what was going into labor for real. She turned to tell Tim, but remembered that he was in the hospital.

"Timmy..." It was harder than usual for her to get to sleep that night due to back pain, and a strange emptiness somewhere on her bed where her husband should be. The bed was too large and lonely without him there.

**NCIS**

_"Im bored..." Both Kate and Director Shepard were there with Tim, bored out of their minds. After a long discussion of whether he was really dead or not, nothing else seemed to matter._

_"I wish that I could go back," Tim said sadly. "I miss Abby."_

_"So go, then," Kate told him._

_"Don't think it's that simple," Jenny spoke up._

_"What, he can't just wake up and be back in the real world?"_

_"When Jethro got caught in that explosion, he was in a coma for a week. When he woke up, he couldn't remember anything after 1991." Tim bit down his lip worriedly. He didn't want to lose his memory and devastate everyone like that._

_"You just got hit in the stomach, there's no reason for you to worry," Jenny assured him. "So...Kate, why haven't I seen you around?"_

_"It's not like we ever knew one another," she reasoned. "Plus, since McGee knew both of us, we're both in the same place now."_

_"But why didn't we know that we were dead?"_

_"Because I wish neither of you had died!" Tim blurted out. They both looked at him. "Kate, there was nothing I could have done for you, but Jenny...Tony and Ziva both felt so guilty. They were responsible for you and then...they wish they could have just not listened to you and protected you like they should have."_

**NCIS**

"Tim...I went to the doctor yesterday. We're having a little girl." Abby gazed at him hopefully. No response. "I was wondering if you had any ideas for names. We've gotten so caught up with Rylan that I have nearly forgotten about that." Tim still remained slightly pale and motionless, The EKG beeped steadily. Abby sat down next to him in a chair, feeling sore and tired, but not willing to give up.

"I was thinking that her middle name could be...Caitlin, in memory of Kate." Tim's left hand twitched slightly.

"Come on, Abs." She looked up and saw Gibbs standing there, Rylan squirming in his arms. "It's late." She hadn't realized how long she had been in here. More time must have passed than she thought. The baby kicked feebly as she follwed Gibbs out of the room. Meanwhile, Tim showed no sign he had ever moved.

**NCIS**

_"I was thinking her middle name could be...Caitlin, in memory of Kate."_

_"Aw, how sweet of her," Kate said happily. "Wait, Abby's pregnant? A second time? Sheesh, this makes me wish I wasn't dead all the sudden. Who's the father?" Tim gave her a look._

_"I am, but that's not important right now. I've got to get back to Abby somehow."_

_"Come on, Abs, it's late."_

_"Oh, Gibbs..." Jenny sighed. "So many unanswered questions between us."_

_"I think he likes it better alone," Tim said. "We tried setting him up with Agent Borin once, but that didn't work out so well. They're too similar." Jenny smiled, her once happy green eyes far away and sad._

_"Maybe there's a way for us to see everyone from here," Tim murmured, his eyes drifting to a screen that was on the other side of the room._

**NCIS**

"It's been almost three months, boss," Tony said to Gibbs, who nodded. Abby was quietly sobbing into her hands.

"They took another look at Timothy's organs last week, and found much more damage than they had thought," Ducky said. "Unfortunately, he is still low priority for a second surgery." Gibbs growled.

"How is being in a coma make him low priority?" Gibbs stormed out of the room. Ziva sat down and tried to comfort Abby.

"He only responds when I mention Kate or Jenny but he won't do anything when I say other things!" Abby wailed. "I don't understand! I thought he'd want to be here when the baby was born!"

"I'm sure he does," Ziva told her. "He just doesn't know how to get back. Did you name the baby?"

"Valarie Caitlin."

"That is a beautiful name." Abby managed a smile and sniffled slightly. Then she grimaced, her hand fluttering down to her inflated stomach. Ziva gazed at her curiously.

"Everything all right?"

"Just a stomach cramp...I think. It's been happening all day...oh no." There was a brief moment of silence.

"What's wrong?"

"My water broke."

**NCIS**

_"Arrg, why can't I get back?" Tim whined, staring at the screen with all his might, wishing himself to be with his wife once more, even if it was for a few minutes._

_"You aren't healed enough," Kate said._

_"I know!" he snapped, causing Kate to step back in surprise. He had changed a lot over the years she had been gone._

_"Just be patient," Jenny said softly. "You'll get there soon." Tim groaned, feeling nearly ready to hit something in his restless frustration. He started pacing again, wishing and hoping and worrying...and waiting. Always waiting._

**NCIS**

"Just one more," the doctor encouraged. Abby shrieked, cursing Tim's name to high heavens and lowest circles to hell for "putting this curse upon her again." The umbilical chord was cut, the child was given wrappings and clothes...then finally Abby was able to see her daughter for the first time.

"Valarie, you're so beautiful." She looked up to see a nurse standing there.

"McGee is now being put into surgery for kidney and liver damage," the woman announced.

**NCIS**

_"Why can't I see what's happening to myself?" Tim asked._

_"Because it's all in your first person view, see?" Kate pointed at the screen. "This is what everything would look like if you were awake."_

_"You're being put into surgery," Jenny added. "Looks like you'll be able to wake up soon."_

_"Will I remember everything that happened here?"_

_"I doubt it," Kate said. "But it was nice having some entertainment. I'm tired of looking at the inside of my grave..."_

_"Maybe there's a different setting," Jenny said. "Look, there's some controls...let's see what Gibbs is up to."_

_"Oh, you're just saying that because you still love him!" Kate rolled her eyes. "I want to see Tony!"_

_"Gibbs!_

_"Tony!"_

_"Gibbs!"_

_"Tony!_

_"Gibbs!"_

_"Will you stop it?" Tim muttered, starting to feel a headache come on. "You're acting like Tony and Ziva."_

_"Who's Ziva?" Kate wondered._

_"I give up," Tim said._

**NCIS**

"How much longer?" Abby said. Valarie was only a couple days old. She was dealing with the sleepless nights a lot better than she thought she would. Rylan would be one in less than a week. She had no idea what to do for celebrations so far. But now that she was no longer pregnant she didn't have to wear those baggy clothes anymore. Unfortunately, she still had some weight to lose. Right now that was the least of her concerns. She wanted her husband back.

"A couple more hours," Tony replied. "How's Valarie?"

"Do the bags under my eyes answer your question?" she asked dryly. Little Rylan babbled on and on about some bird he had seen, using his limited vocabulary as best he could.

"Bird! Sky!" he said, smiling up at his mother.

"Yes," Abby replied.

"Daddy?" Rylan asked for the fifth time.

"He'll be awake soon. Don't worry." There was a long silence. Rylan toddled off toward Jane and Maria, who were playing with some toys. He played with some blocks near the two toddler girls but paid them no attention. Jane was currently asleep in Ziva's lap. Her dark curls, which had grown out so much over the months, splayed out against her mother's chest and down across her own face. Abby decided to let go of her worries for now, since she needed to be relaxed while feeding Valarie, especially in public. The sling had proved to be useful. She ignored any looks from others, knowing saying anything wouldn't do much good. Being tired would put anyone in a bad mood, especially a two-time mother with an almost one-year-old and a newborn.

"Abby!" She saw Jimmy barrell into the waiting room. "McGee is trying to wake up!"


	57. Chapter 57

Oh, God. This was the moment she had been waiting for. Abby gave Ziva a look. Tony snagged up on of his daughters and told the other one to come along. Jimmy, seeing that Abby had her hands full with Valarie, took Rylan and led the way. Before she knew it, they were in McGee's room.

"I'll let you two alone," Jimmy said, backing out slowly.

"Hey," Tim croaked out, smiling at her.

"I've missed you so much," Abby whispered. "Here's your daughter."

"Daughter?" He stared blankly at Valarie, who was starting to become a little fussy.

"Daddy!" a voice said.

"Valarie?" He was confused now.

"Not now, Rylan," Abby said, glancing down at her feet. She looked back up at her husband. "I'm glad to see you're finally out of that coma. No idea what kept you so long, but at least you haven't lost your memory like Gibbs did." She turned on the spot and walked away, Rylan right at her heels.

"What did I do," McGee mumbled, putting his head in his hands.

**NCIS**

That night, Abby tossed and turned, feeling guilty for leaving her husband like that. It was so out of character for her to be so abrupt. She just couldn't get to sleep. She tried getting some water, counting sheep...even listening to really boring music or reading a book. Nothing seemed to work. Everything she tried just made her even more wide awake.

"What am I to do," she mumbled to herself, staring at the ceiling above her.

**NCIS**

Meanwhile, at Bethesda Naval Hospital, Timothy McGee also had a difficult time getting to sleep. What had he missed all this time? When had he missed such a huge portion of his life? Why hadn't he been able to wake up sooner? He frowned at the darkened room around himself.

"Why indeed," he said aloud. Much against his will, he finally began to drift off to some much needed sleep. For some reason that coma had taken a lot out of him, which made no sense, because in a way he had done nothing but sleep.

**NCIS**

Time lurched along again. Abby, for some reason, wanted to hang on and not let go to what she had right now. Something told her that a certain day in the near future would bring nothing but trouble. Unfortunately, that day seemed to come three weeks later, when they had all nearly forgotten about McGee's extended time in the hospital. Much too soon for her for whatever reason. Valarie was peacefully taking a nap inside. Abby listlessly flicked through one of McGee's _Harry Potter _books with little interest. She felt so restless. Something was going to happen. She could feel it. If she could just...

"Momma!" Rylan cried out, toddling dangerously close to the street.

"Rylan!" Abby shrieked. A truck was headed right for the toddler with no sign of stopping. It swerved out of control. A tire had blown out, and the steering wheel appeared to be damaged. She lunged for her only son. The last thing she remembered was a blinding pain in her side and someone screaming. Maybe it was her...

**NCIS**

"Someone help! Call 911!" McGee ran outside to see his wife in a crumpled heap on the asphalt, bleeding from...somewhere. He couldn't quite tell. Two people stood over her and blocked a good portion of his view.

"She has a head wound. They always bleed a lot," the person who had been driving the truck said. "Look, I'm sorry about this...I have no idea what happened. It all happened so fast. One moment I was losing air in my tire, the next losing a whole chunk of my steering wheel somehow, and the next...slamming right into that poor woman. How is she?"

"Abby!" McGee cried out.

"I called 911," the first person spoke up. Rylan looked up, startled. He only had a scratch on his arm from when he landed on the road. Abby had saved his life. McGee picked up the small child, who was scarecly a year old.

"They should be here soon..." the male truck driver said. "I've got some of the bleeding under control. Hand me another gauze." The woman obeyed, remaining quiet and calm. McGee could hardly believe this had happened. From what he had heard through snatches of conversation, Rylan had run out into the street and Abby had managed to save him. He was so shocked that all he could do was try and keep Rylan calm while waiting for an ambulance.

**NCIS**

Abby felt like she was underwater. Nothing felt real, as if she was floating in and out of her body. Bits of her fell away into strangely shaped pieces, and odd visions flickered behind her eyes. She didn't want to be...wherever this was. All she wanted was to save her son, why did she have to pay a price? A life for a life?

_Where am I? How do I get back?_ Floundering, choking, she wanted out, out, out of this mess she got herself into. She was unconscious, that much appeared to be true. Well, not completely. She continually faded in and out of wakefulness.

"She has a moderate concussion so we will have to monitor..." Abby struggled to remain awake, but it was just so hard. She felt so tired. She wanted to sleep. But something told her sleep wouldn't be good for her this time. Abby dragged herself out of that darkness and was unsurprised to see the white walls of a hospital room. The scent of death, illness, and too much floor cleaner filled her nostrils. A janitor had been in here recently. That didn't make the situation any more comforting. Her head pounded something fierce, but she was alive.

"Hey. I heard what happened." She smiled at the sight of Tony, wrestling with his triplets so they'd sit still long enough for him to visit. "You're a hero, you know."

"You would have done the same thing," Abby pointed out.

"I don't disagree with you there. Why is it every time I turn my back someone ends up in the hospital?"

"I've been having bad feelings for weeks and weeks before this happened, Tony. I had no idea what was going to happen, but I just knew today was the day where my bad feeling would...you know..." Her voice trailed off. The words weren't coming out right.

"I know what you mean. The day Kate died, I kept thinking I should stay behind on the mission. But I didn't want Gibbs thinking I was a coward, so that afternoon before we left, I looked at myself in the mirror and said 'Look mister, Dinozzos don't back down no matter the gut feeling. Now you go out there and come back alive no matter what happens.' And now look...we lost Kate but gained Ziva." Abby nodded, remembering both moments in quick succession. A small part of her still retained guilt for being so cruel to Ziva initially, but the remaining part, the logical part, insisted she had been grieving for Kate at the time and was just reacting accordingly to the new situation. The battle never seemed to cease, but Abby reasoned so much time had passed since those months it wouldn't matter to bring it up. Just like the whole fiasco with Hades and Steve. It didn't matter. None of it did. It didn't matter that Rylan was a rape baby and Valarie wasn't.

Abby had no idea when she had fallen asleep, but one moment she was sitting and staring at Tony, and the next she was at NCIS in the squad room. She looked around in confusion. What happened?

"Tim?" she asked cautiously. She approached her husband. To her horror, everything looked different. First of all, McGee looked like he had gained weight. His eyes were filled with an anxiousness that often came when he had been a probie.

"Huh? Abby, what are you doing up here?"

"I came for a visit," she hedged, wondering why the words sounded familiar.

"Tony and Kate still aren't back," he said. It sounded like he said that before at a different time. Abby wondered why this moment felt so familiar...she shook her head. This was only a dream, wasn't it? Kate was dead. Kate was...wait a minute! Abby looked at a nearby calendar. Yup, she had definitely gone back in time. This was the day she died. Something didn't feel right, though. Where was the rain? She looked out the window and saw it was raining. Okay, never mind then. The elevator dinged. Tony walked in with Kate...who looked perfectly fine. Maybe this was an alternate reality. Abby forced herself to remain calm as events played out.

"Well, that was a complete bust," Tony said loudly. "Ari gets this close and you just had to do _that_."

"What are you talking about?" Kate demanded. Abby held her breath. It was like no time had passed. Actually, it was just like that. Technically no time had passed. She had to act like she had seen Kate only a few hours ago rather than years and years.

"You're okay!" Abby exlaimed, throwing her arms around Kate. "I thought you weren't going to come back alive!"

"It came pretty close to that," Gibbs said grimly, stepping into the bullpen. He was soaked in blood.

"G-Gibbs?" Abby stammared. "What happened to you?"

"He missed Kate, but managed to clip me a few times." There was so much blood. The overwhelming amount of it nearly made her feel sick.

"Boss...are you gonna be okay?" Tony asked cautiously.

"Tell Jen that I'm sorry." Then he collapsed to the floor due to blood loss. And blood continued to seep out of unseen wounds to the once clean carpeting. Tony dropped to Gibbs's side and felt for a pulse.

"I got a pulse," he announced quietly. "It's weak, though. Probie, call Bethesda and tell them they need to be here five minutes ago. Kate, keep pressure on his wounds. I'll get Ducky and tell him what happened."

"Who's Jen?" McGee wondered as he did as he was told. More time passed. Abby barely noticed. The paramedics came and tried to control all the severe bleeding, but soon realized that the damage was just too much.

"There is nothing we can do," one of them said. "I'm sorry." They left, looking defeated.

"He's going to die," Tony said numbly. "I can't believe it. Invincible Gibbs...gone. This isn't fair!" Abby felt tears run down her cheeks. No, it wasn't fair. Someone was destined to die on this particular day. If not Kate, then someone else. She silently sobbed into her hands.

"Not fair, not fair, not fair!" she moaned as Ducky declared Gibbs officially dead.

"No, no, no," she mumbled later on, sitting in her lab. There would be no one else to say 'What do you got, Abs?' when they came into her lab.

"What do you got, Abs?" a familiar voice said. Abby burst into tears again, sobbing loudly. Her makeup was messed up beyond repair but she didn't care. Gibbs was dead. He wasn't coming back.

"Don't say that!" she wailed into Tony's shirt. "Only Gibbs gets to say it! Only him!" He didn't say anything. He just held her.

"Of all the people to make a sacrifice..." Tony murmured. Her dispair was too great to concentrate on anything too concrete.

"Hey," Kate said softly, entering the lab. Her eyes were red from crying. "D-Ducky said the f-funeral will be tomorrow. Do you want to say anything?"

"Sure," Tony replied. "What about you, Abby?"

"I'll-I'll try," she sniffled. She caught sight of her unfinished Caf-Pow! Gibbs's last gift. That sent her into spiraling grief all over again.

"It's going to-to be okay," Tony tried to reassure, but his voice cracked with unshed tears.

"You're in charge now," Kate said in surprise. "You are the new Bossman." There was a long silence as everyone considered this.

"No, I'm not," Tony muttered. "I can't do this." He walked out of the lab.

"What?" Abby gasped. "You're...quitting?"

Days passed. Without Tony there, the squad room was a whole lot less cheerful. And Gibbs was gone as well, leaving some jerk in charge that always had to make his voice known. He was like Tony, only he said nothing but negative things about everyone's performance. He had no qualms about putting everyone down and making himself look better than everyone else. At least Gibbs had the sense to be honest without being downright rude and hurtful. This new guy, Agent Ryan Telmon, was a complete...

"This guy's a doushebag," Kate complained to her new co-worker Melanie Foster two weeks after Gibbs's death. Abby hung out a whole lot more in the squad room for comfort from others. McGee and Agent Telmon were out chasing a lead. They had been gone for almost fifteen minutes.

"I know," Melanie agreed. "I can't believe the new Director lets him get away with this crap." Abby remained silent. It was something more common of her now that Gibbs was gone and she was never getting together with McGee. He was too busy trying to chase after other girls, being just like Tony. Speaking of, the ex-agent had dropped off the face of the earth after quitting two weeks ago. He just moved away, never to be heard from again. As for the new Director...she liked him even less than Telmon, if that were possible. This Frank Jetters guy was too much for her. He constantly made sexual advances to her to the point that SecNav threatened a restraining order to be made. After that things died down but that didn't make her less uncomfortable to be in the same room with Director Jetters.

"So, what are you doing this weekend?" Kate asked Melanie. Ever since Gibbs died, nobody seemed to be paying Abby much attention. Then again, her work was takenn for granted all too often anyway so it wasn't like she was worth the spot light.

"Not much," Melanie answered casually. "Hey, when do you think McGee will finally come to his senses about how Abby really feels about him?"

"Probably never," Kate muttered bitterly. "He's got a worse air head than Tony these days. I swear, I have no idea what has gotten into that kid lately. You think he's avoiding some...issue?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," Melanie said. "But his coping method isn't like him. There's got to be more to it. Tony did quit, you say. I recommend you talk to him." Abby huffed a sigh that was heard by both girls and stomped off into her lab. Nothing was the same anymore. She didn't matter now. Maybe she never mattered...why did Gibbs have to die? At least he made her feel worthy enough to be here.

**NCIS**

Abby woke up gasping, her face stained with tears that still continued flowing down in a river of neverending dispair.

"Abs?" Gibbs inquired.

"You're alive!" Abby sobbed, jumping up and hugging him despite the minor headache she still had. "You're alive! I can't believe it! It was all a dream! A horrible, horrible dream!" Gibbs was still confused, but he held her anyway as she cried, not wanting her to be upset like this no matter the reason.

"What happened?" Abby explained what went on between her and Tony earlier and then told him about the dream that seemed more like a 'what if' alternate universe than anything else. The story took her much longer to tell than she thought, and by the time she was finished, visiting hours were nearly over. Then again, she must have been asleep for some time. Gibbs didn't say anything at first, thinking over the whole story.

"You still feel guilty about Ziva." It wasn't a question.

"Sometimes," she admitted.

"Then tell her." He left, leaving her alone with her thoughts.


	58. Chapter 58

Abby did not get the chance to talk to Ziva alone until several days later, when she was finally released from the hospital. She was forced to take some time off work until the stitches were able to be removed, which would be more than a week from now.

"Abby," Ziva greeted as she entered the McGee home. She was currently feeding Valarie. Rylan played with the television remote, changing the channel every few seconds in rapid succession.

"I'm sort of glad we can't change the past," she said quietly, looking down at her daughter. "After all, everything happens for a reason."

"Yes, you are right," Ziva agreed.

"When we first met, did you ever hate me?" Abby asked unexpectedly.

"Not exactly...I was confused by your behavior, and did not understand what everyone's problem was until I was told what happened to Kate. For some reason that information was withheld from me until midway into the case."

"I see." There was a brief silence as Valarie finished up. Abby was strangely quiet.

"I know what you're thinking," Ziva said. "You are sorry for being so cold hearted to me those first few months I was at NCIS. But I don't blame you, Abby. You had just lost a very close friend at the time and was still grieving. My arrival did no favors for you. It was no one's fault. I forgave you a long time ago." She smiled in relief, but did not explain the reason behind this long overdue conversation.

**NCIS**

"So...everything's finally back to normal," McGee said as he entered Tony's house. Taliah and Maria were fighting over a certain stack of blocks. Jane sat off to the side with her own blocks, making some interesting patterns. She didn't seem to mind being all alone and ignored by her sisters.

"Yup," Tony said, taking another bite of pizza. "Want some? It's still hot. Ziva's at your house, by the way. Said something about Abby needing to talk to her..." He frowned thoughtfully and changed the channel.

"Probably just some girl talk." Tim shrugged, unconcerned at the idea of it all. "How about we have a little _James Bond _marathon in celebration of this?" Tony grinned.

"You reading my mind again?" Tim rolled his eyes and snatched the remote from the senior agent.

**NCIS**

Gibbs wandered through the graveyard, lost in thought. So much death for that one moment of freedom. And was it all really even worth it? He lost too many people to deal with another dead body of a friend in autopsy. Shannon, Kelly, Kate, Jenny...Jen. She was always just Jen to him no matter what she said. He paid no attention to the names, all too familiar in his deams, lined up in a row. The inscriptions were also ingrained like nothing else would ever be. He sighed and shook his head. Was it all really for the best? Was he meant to be...alone?

"Hey, oh silent one!" Gibbs turned and saw a woman in her mid-thirties gazing at him. She was a blonde, not a redhead. There was something about her eyes, though...green and filled with fun, like someone he once knew.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Nope," the woman replied snarkily. "Who are you to think you can get away with wandering on my playground?" He raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"The name's Gibbs. Jethro Gibbs."

"I'm Hillary Shepard." He started at her last name. No wonder she looked so familiar. "I'm visiting my dead sister."

**NCIS**

_Later..._

Finally, Terence was released from jail feeling like a new man. He was fully committed into his Catholic upbringing now and had even taught his inmate some of his now favorite verses. He strolled casually along through the streets of Georgetown, nodding at people occassionally. They would have never guessed that months ago he was obssessed with ridiculous revenge that made absolutely no sense. Then suddenly he saw someone all too familiar heading out of a resturaunt, accompanied with someone.

"What the...Terence?" Abby spluttered.

"I was released thirty minutes ago," Terence said happily. "You look well, Abby. I see having children suits you." She continued to stare at him in disbelief.

"So...where is our standing now?" she asked nervously.

"I'm starting my life on a clean slate. I want to put the past behind me and move on." She sighed in relief.

"Let's go, Ziva. There's something that I need to do. It was...interesting seeing you, Terence."

**NCIS**

"So...you really knew my sister?" Hillary asked some time later in a nearby coffee shop. Gibbs nodded and took a sip of his own coffee.

"I didn't even know I had a sister until I recieved the news about the shooting. I lived in the orphanage my whole childhood, suffering abuse and other...things. But those are unimportant now. I learned my parents had me first, decided they weren't ready for a child and gave me up. Jennifer came along later, and according to the timeline, was born the year I turned four." Hillary sighed.

"I never knew Jenny...but it wasn't until I learned of her death that I knew what had been missing in my life all along," she finished, looking up at the silver haired agent.

"Know what you mean," Gibbs said, taking another swig of coffee, feeling the effects of the caffeine beginning to kick in. Hillary sighed again and took a look at her watch.

"I have to get going. It was nice meeting you, Agent Gibbs. Perhaps we will cross paths again."

"Hopefully not through death," Gibbs responded, smirking at her.

"I knew there was a sense of humor in there somewhere," Hillary teased. "I'll be seeing you. Here's my card. It's easier having these around instead of flashing my badge and accidentally losing it in the hospital." She handed him a small white card and left the coffee shop. He glanced down at it.

**Hillary Shepard**

**FBI, M.D.**

Below was her phone number and address. Gibbs chuckled and stuffed the card away. FBI, of course! He should've known.

**NCIS**

Finally, Tim came home. The sun had long since set but that hardly mattered. He sighed happily and sank onto the couch, feeling content. Abby snuggled up against him, silently welcoming him and signaling they had time to be alone for awhile.

"Everything's perfect," Abby said.

"Yeah, it sure is." Valarie woke up crying.

"I'll take care of her," Abby grumbled. She lurched to her feet and scurried off to the nursery. Seconds later, Rylan woke up as well, crying and screaming because his sister had made so much noise during his nap. Tim went to calm him down. Yup, life couldn't be any more perfect than it was now. As cliche as it sounded, he didn't want anything to change.


End file.
